WINTER storms lashing Sandbanks are washing away the beach, leaving one of Poole's greatest assets, and perhaps the entire exclusive peninsular, open to erosion.

Since 1984 a total of 29 metres of sand has been lost from the width of the beach, but now a £1.3 million sea defence scheme is aiming to stem the tide of destruction.

On Monday a five-month scheme will begin to build four new Purbeck stone rock groynes jutting out from the promenade, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

They will be of a similar design to the groynes installed at the Haven Hotel end of the beach in 1995, which have proved successful in reversing the shrinking beach.

But residents feared the new groynes would damage the character of the beach and spoil the view along the coast. Earlier this year they raised a 250-signature petition opposing them.

"Sandbanks beach is widely acclaimed to be the best beach in Britain and is a precious asset for Poole," said council leader Cllr Brian Clements.

"It has however been seriously eroded by the sea and the rock groynes are our best option to protect the beach," he added.

The longest rock groyne will be 95 metres long and the shortest 70 metres. They will be 1.6 metres high and have a walkway along the top which will be accessible to wheelchairs. Sections of the beach will be closed until April next year when work is expected to end, although the promenade will remain open.

Information panels explaining the work have been put up. More information is available from the beach office and the council's website at www.poole.gov.uk.