The groynes at East Beach, Selsey, are being repaired after Chichester District Council successfully bid for funding from the Environment Agency.

The work, which will be completed before the end of March, will involve the repair and refurbishment of the 52 timber and steel groynes that control the movement of shingle along the frontage.

The scheme will also involve a number of other improvements, including minor works to the sea wall.

Councillor Pieter Montyn, in charge of environment at Chichester District Council, said: 'Coming so soon after the conclusion of the exhaustive public consultation, this is great news.

'The council reacted extremely quickly when it discovered that it could bid for funding.

'We issued detailed reports to the Environment Agency outlining our case, including a project appraisal report and a design for the scheme.

'This means that we can put our plans into action straight- away, extending the life of the groyne field which we hope will last for the next 10 years.'

The plans are part of the Pagham to East Head Coastal Defence Strategy, which has recently been adopted by the council.

The strategy looks at the requirements for managing the coast over the next hundred years.