JUST six weeks after its launch more than 100,000 copies of a new leaflet promoting West Dorset's unique Jurassic coastline have been snapped up.

Now the guide, featuring the fossil rich cliffs between Lyme Regis and Charmouth, is being translated into three other languages - Dutch, German and French - to spread the "come to West Dorset" message to the Continent.

And that, say the team at Dorset County Council responsible for its production, could help to boost plans to extend the tourist season in resorts like Lyme.

Featuring a superb map of the entire new World Heritage Site from Exmouth to Studland Bay the Jurassic Coast Mini Guide is currently being distributed free of charge at Lyme TIC, the Philpot Museum and the Charmouth Heritage Centre, along with other outlets.

"With 185 million years of earth history to explore in just 95 miles of coast the guide should inspire everyone to get out and about and discover the Site for themselves," said Sally King, Visitor Manager with the World Heritage Site team based at County Hall in Dorchester.

The leaflet includes some stunning photographs and a wealth of information on the World Heritage Site. Readers can follow the geological timeline to find out more about past environments including the dinosaurs that once roamed in the swamps in the Purbeck area. And they can find out how the Budleigh pebble travels from one end of the Site to the other and discover the location of the "trees" of the famous fossil forest.

Boat trips, walks and other activities are promoted as the best ways to see the Site and visitors can easily find out more from the telephone numbers and web addresses listed on the back of the Guide.

Said Sally: "There has been huge demand for a leaflet of this type since the Dorset and East Devon coast was designated a World heritage Site by UNESCO in December."

She said that since it was launched in July half of the 200,000 copies have already been snapped up and they are now planning to distribute it overseas via the British Travel Association, hoping to attract more out of season visitors to the area which is one of the key aims of the project.

"It's going extremely well and proving very popular," she added.