CAMPAIGNERS have suffered a setback in efforts to get access to a Weymouth beach restored.

The Prince's Trust team programme, based at Weymouth College, had offered practical help to try and restore the public footpath down to Castle Cove Beach which has been closed for safety reasons.

But the Friends of Castle Cove Beach which has been campaigning to open up the beach say that Dorset County Council has decided it is too dangerous to allow footpath work to take place and has advised the team not to start.

Chairman of the Friends Steve Elsworth said: “We’re very disappointed by the decision.

"However, the council is the authority in charge of footpaths, they have the ultimate responsibility for safety, and their expert decided they couldn’t take the risk.

"We had no choice. If someone blows the safety whistle, you stop the project."

Mr Elsworth said there had been some positive developments and praised the county council for its approach to the issue.

He said: “We had a meeting on the footpath with DCC which was very positive - they don’t see the issue as being closed down, and are looking energetically at possible alternatives.

"We were impressed by the can-do attitude of the officers, and we hope we’ll be able to sort something out.”

A group of 10 to 12 young people accompanied by two staff had agreed to start planning on restoring access to the beach.

Access was restricted after the footpath was closed for safety reasons following a small landslip and a set of steps removed. A public right of way has since been reopened but there is currently no legal access to the beach.

The Friends had raised £600 in a week from supporters to fund the footpath work, with help and donations in cash or kind from Midland Craft and Roofing, Tim Barratt Building and Landscaping Services, C & L Developments and Dorset Wildlife Trust.

Mr Elsworth said: “We were delighted by the open-handed generosity of our community and we will find a way to get people back on the beach.

"Public access to the beach now has the support of all the local landowners, both councils, and the public.

"We just have to find a solution that is safe, and acceptable to all seven parties involved.”

Last month, the county council said officers were working with The Friends of Castle Cove to find a solution.

A spokesman said: "The county council has recently reopened the public right of way along the coast path, but currently there is not legal access to the beach. Any access to the cove needs to be legal, managed and maintained. Any agreement will take time to be put in place."