Beaches protected by £1.9m fund

Sand has been dredged from Poole Harbour to deepen its channels

A £1.9m project has got under way to preserve a major stretch of Dorset beaches vulnerable to coastal erosion.

New rock groynes will be created to protect sand between Branksome Chine and Branksome Dene Chine in Poole.

Five of them constructed from Portland limestone will be similar to structures at Sandbanks and are expected to be completed by May 2009.

The scheme is part of Poole's Coast Protection Plan, which is backed by the government and the Environment Agency.

Previous coast protection plan projects include the construction of rock groynes at Sandbanks in 1995 and 2001 and a sand replenishment programme between Shore Road and Branksome Dene Chine in 2005 and 2006.