MORE than 150,000 cubic metres of material was lost to Chesil Beach during the winter storms, according to new data.

The storms’ effects on the beach were looked at between a point opposite Castletown and a point opposite Ferrybridge.

The estimated figure, which stands at 154,000 cubic metres, was announced after the Environment Agency (EA) held a meeting in early June.

Instrumentation has shown the lost material was lying submerged off the beach waiting to be pushed back into place. Along the same stretch, east of the Chesil Beach car park, the crest of the beach has receded from the sea by as much as six metres.

The collection of data has been focused on the section of the beach that Shoreline Management Plans have prioritised to defend.

The EA has published a community update summarising the impacts at Chiswell, identifying work to be carried out shortly.

The calm summer has meant the sea has been unable to move any shingle back onto the beach to re-establish its normal winter profile.

It is expected that the bulldozers will be brought back.

Meanwhile, Dr Malcolm Bray, one of the foremost scientists to have studied Chesil Beach in its entirety, will also visit the area in August.

It is hoped Dr Bray will be able to provide more information about the storms’ impacts from an ecological point-of-view.