£6m boost for battle against coastal erosion at Yorkshire hot spots

Scarborough Council is to receive the cash, on top of 3m already allocated for tackling coastal erosion, to target other hot spots over the next four years in Scarborough, Whitby and Filey.

Head of technical services John Riby said: "It is a significant slice of funding, particularly in these austere times, that will ultimately help communities along our coast cope with natural events like erosion and coastal cliff instability."

One of the biggest chunks of the funding will be ploughed into the strategic coast monitoring programme, with just over 3m allocated to the council over the next five years to act as lead authority for all the coastal councils from the Scottish Borders to Flamborough Head.

Nearly 1m has been allocated for projects in Filey over the next two years. An investigation into coastal slope ground movement at Flat Cliffs, near Filey, has also been funded, with 160,000 allocated by the Environment Agency.

The northern area of the borough will benefit from investment of nearly 500,000, with significant sums allocated for Staithes and Whitby. In Scarborough, the North Bay and Scarborough Spa frontage will benefit.