Annual dredging work at West Bay from today
Work will also be carried out at Lyme Regis
The annual dredging of West Bay and Lyme Regis will get underway today (Tuesday 28th February).
Dorset Council carries out the work during a Spring Tide each year, to keep navigational channels in local harbours clear and safe.
The dredging removes sediment build-up, but won't disturb any local marine plants or animals.
Work will start with equipment being offloaded at West Bay today, and then towed to Lyme Regis.
Dredging there will be finished by 24th March, with the team then moving back to West Bay, where work should be completed by 21st April.
The operation is weather dependent though, so timings may change
Impact for the public
During the work, beaches will be fenced off for safety reasons, due to the equipment being used.
We'll notice the colour of the sand and sea will change while the dredging takes place.
That's due to a lack of exposure to oxygen on the sea bed, and because particles will be disrupted in the water.
Swimming is discouraged during this time, due to possible allergic reactions.
A layer of undredged sand will also be laid on top of the dredging areas once completed too, to improve the look of the beach.