Uneasy riders... bill for artificial surf reef set to surge beyond £3m

A £3m artificial surf reef could end up costing more money after a task force was announced today to help create rideable waves.

A council cross-party committee will investigate ways to improve performance at the "sub-standard" reef in Boscombe, Dorset, which is the first artificial reef in Europe.

In May, a Plymouth University report showed the reef fell short of expectations and Bournemouth Borough Council is withholding a 150,000 performance payment from its creator, ASR Ltd, until the issues are resolved.

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The council has not ruled out finding extra cash to make the reef work, if necessary paying other firms to carry out improvements.

A cross-party group of councillors will work with local surfers, business owners and the Boscombe Spa Village Project Board to find a solution. The group has the job of making the reef surfable by stand-up surfers for a minimum agreed ride length on a right-hand break.

The group will hold its first meeting on August 10 and report back to the council with its recommendations in October.

Dr Mark Davidson, of Plymouth University, said the new waves were the wrong type for surfers.

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"The length of the ride is the key area it is falling down on," he said.

"It is a little bit more challenging than it was designed for."

The reef was officially launched in November last year, more than a year overdue and more than double its original 1.4m. It is made up of 55 giant sandbags.

A sea piglet by any other name . . .

Ten obscure British species have been given names such as the Queen's executioner, sea piglet and witches' whiskers after a Natural England competition to give them English names instead of Latin ones.

The species of beetle, bee, jellyfish, shrimp and lichen are all endangered. The sea piglet (Arrhis phylonyx) is a pseudo shrimp.

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