Excitement is growing as Weymouth Beach prepares to be transformed into a summer sporting arena.

The Town Council's summer sports programme has been launched, with numerous sporting events due to happen on Weymouth Beach starting next week.

Sports will include rugby, cricket, volleyball and swimming.

Event co-director Graeme Sawyer has been helping run volleyball on the beach for the past 36 years. Since then, the range of sporting events available on Weymouth Beach for the summer programme has grown.

He said: "It is amazing. I never thought that when we started it that it could possibly go on this long. It has grown massively from when we started. The standard of play has gone through the roof. It has completely changed."

Steve Davies, Promotions Officer at Weymouth Town Council, said: "We have got that complete diversity of ability and great diversity of sports. It is very popular with visitors."

Mr Davies added that more than 1,000 people are expected to be taking part in sports on the beach over the course of the programme.

The sporting events will commence on Wednesday, July 17 with the Royal Navy Rugby Event, which will run from 9am to 5pm.

After that, there will be a range of activities on offer up until the Finals Day of Weymouth Beach Volleyball Classic on Sunday, July 28.

On the subject of the cricket, Sean Fitzgerald, a community coach for North and West Dorset, said: "We have started doing beach cricket here with children in the Weymouth area."

One of the events will be the Junior Cricket Event with charity ‘Chance to Shine’, which aims to give children the opportunity to learn and play the sport.

Mr Fitzgerald explained what the charity does, and that it works with local cricket clubs and coaches such as himself to give these opportunities to children.

Claudia Webb of Weymouth BID said: "It's great that they have constantly adapted to make things better."

Weymouth BID is giving financial assistance to the sporting event, helping fund a marquee in the event of bad weather.

All of the sporting events are free to attend.

Weymouth Town Council Chairman of Services Cllr David Northam said: "The summer sports programme on Weymouth Beach is always a great favourite, providing a unique range of sports, activities and competitions on one of the world’s favourite playing surfaces.

"This project is a splendid example of collaboration and teamwork, our thanks and praise go to the many local sports clubs, armed forces and army of volunteers that have joined the Weymouth Town Council to help make this project a great success."