The reef would be placed just below the low tide point

The reef - which would stretch for up to 300 metres off the coast at Borth - is one of the options being put forward for the area's coastal protection plan.

Consultants carried out a study as part of an overall look at rebuilding the coastal defences which are nearing the end of their life.

The next step is to find funding for the ambitious project

Estimated to cost between �400,000 and �800,000, the man-made barrier would be made up of hundreds of bags of sand and would break up the waves before they reached the shore.

Experts believe the defence would have the spin-off effect of providing excellent conditions for surfers who would boost the local tourist economy.

We now know that it is possible to build a reef at Borth which would definitely increase the surfing amenity of the area Mick Newman

Mick Newman of consultants Posford Haskoning said a New Zealand company, Artificial Surfing Reefs led by Dr Kerry Black, had been sub-contracted to find out if it was feasible to build a reef at Borth.

"We now know that it is possible to build a reef at Borth which would definitely increase the surfing amenity of the area," said Mr Newman.

"Kerry Black has told us the reef would cost between �400,000 and �800,000 to build - but the problem now is funding the project."

Mr Newman said the cost of funding Borth's entire protection plan will be about �7m.

Borth could become an attraction for surfers

"The funding will have to come from the Welsh assembly but they will only fund parts the scheme connected with coastal protection," he said.

Borth councillor Ray Quant said the surfing reef option should be adopted by the county council.

"I am convinced that this option should be accepted by the council because it will do so much for the town as well as help with coastal protection," said Mr Quant.

"Borth's main sea defence is the shingle bank and he reef would re-align the waves so they travel directly up the shore and stop shingle drifting northwards and away from the town's coast."

If it gets the go-ahead, the artificial reef would be built by placing bags filled with about 700 tonnes of sand into the sea from a boat.