£3m reef makes wrong type of waves

The man-made reef at Boscombe, near Bournemouth, was the first of its kind in the northern hemisphere but has had a mixed reaction from surfers.

Now the council is withholding a 150,000 performance payment from its creator, ASR Ltd, until the issues are resolved.

Problems identified in a study published yesterday include issues with the length of ride and the frequency of waves, while the waves themselves need to be "slightly less challenging" to attract journeyman surfers.

The findings were based on a performance assessment by experts at Plymouth University showing the reef had only achieved four of its 11 objectives since opening in November.