Council starts beach sand operation

Work is under way to shift thousands of tonnes of sand in Dorset in order to safeguard beach quality.

Improvement work has started at Gordons Corner in Southbourne, Bournemouth, to move 10,000 cubic metres of sand back westwards down the beach towards Boscombe Pier.

The sand has accumulated over time through wind and wave action. It is being re-distributed along the beach.

Council contractors hope to have the works finished by the end of next week.

Andrew Brown, seafront operations manager with Bournemouth Borough Council, said: "The work is progressing well and we hope to finish by the end of next week.

"The project involves five large slow-moving vehicles tracking up and down the beach moving the sand with banksmen, so residents and visitors using the prom won't be affected."

A similar operation took place last year to redistribute sand from Bournemouth Pier to Alum Chine.

The authority says redistributing accumulated sand is "far more cost-effective" than improving new material.