THE Prince's Trust has offered support to help restore public access to Castle Cove Beach.

The trust’s team programme, based in Weymouth College have offered practical help to try and restore the public footpath.

A group of 10 to 12 young people accompanied by two staff have agreed to start planning on restoring access to the beach, if possible, in April and May.

Friends of Castle Cove Beach chair, Steve Elsworth said: “This is a fantastic offer from a well-respected charity.

“We’re really excited by this.”

Plans will need the approval of Dorset County Council who administer the footpath and a local consortium who own the land the path runs over.

Mr Elsworth said: “We have forwarded the offer to both parties. Nothing will happen without their approval, but it’s a great endorsement of our objectives by one of the leading community-based charities in the country.”

Prince’s Trust Team Programme leader for the Weymouth and Portland Two team, Tim Ellis, said: “The Team chose the Castle Cove Access project to work on, as it is work that will be seen to benefit a large number of  the local community of all age ranges and it will leave behind something they can be proud of that benefitted others. 

“All we hope is that the Friends, the Council and land owners can co-operate to allow this project to happen and be successful."

The footpath was closed by the Council in 2013 but has partially reopened and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council recently voted unanimously to offer support to reopen the beach.