Lyme Regis Cobb: Eroding stone breakwater set for £3m repairs

A Grade I listed eroding stone-built breakwater is set for £3m worth of repairs.

The Cobb in Lyme Regis is suffering sea-floor erosion and needs to be strengthened.

Dorset Council said it was providing about £500,000 and had secured £2.5m from the Environment Agency.

The authority said without the work the Cobb "would no longer work as a breakwater by 2044" and 100 properties would be at risk of flooding.

Structural investigations had shown "significant signs of sea-floor erosion, which is gradually destabilising the Grade 1 listed Cobb", the council said.

The work will see the stone-built breakwater and jetty strengthened and repairs made to its walkway and fish landing quay.

Dorset Council said the project was expected to start in summer 2024 "when the sea and climate is generally calmer".

Councillor Ray Bryan, member for environment, said: "Lyme Regis's Cobb is a vital structure that protects the town from coastal erosion and flooding, it is also a beautiful, historic, and iconic structure and we need to do what we can to protect it and the town."

A popular tourist site, the curved stone pier has been used as a location in several films including the upcoming prequel movie, Wonka, and it also featured in Jane Austen's novel, Persuasion.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk.