Beach partially shut as coastal defence work begins

Work has begun on replacing and strengthening two coastal defence groynes at a popular Dorset beach.

The project at Hengistbury Head in Bournemouth is expected to take between six and eight weeks, depending on weather and tides.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council said the new structures would be the same length as the existing groynes but made from "a hybrid of timber and rock".

It said a section of the beach would be closed to the public for safety reasons.

The council advised beachgoers to follow a diversion route.

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