£5million cleanup work to rid a beach of ‘historic pollution’ – including mining pipes, cables and machinery – will start later this year.

The objects were discovered when waves washed away parts of the Lynemouth cliffs onto a former mine dump.

Northumberland County Council provided the money to help prevent landfills from being washed into the sea.

In 2020, the agency said tests on beach samples showed some litter could be harmful to humans.

Planning and regulatory approvals have also been obtained to move the project forward.

It was hoped the cleanup would be completed sooner, but the agency said weather and environmental conditions affected the start date.

The council said preparatory work on the beach would start in the autumn, with main work starting next year.

Contaminated areas of the beach will be excavated and removed before the dunes are reformed with a mixture of soil and sand.

John Riddle, Cabinet Member of Northumberland Council, said: “Although we would have liked to start sooner, there were many factors beyond our control.

“The new timetable also allows us to finalize the details and funding arrangements with the Coal Authority for the work required on their lands north of Lyneburn so that we can do this as a single ‘integrated’ scheme to ensure best value. and deliver the best delivery of results for the local environment and communities in this part of Northumberland.

Prior to the start of work, Council crews will continue to remove material from the beach found during weekly inspections.

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook And instagram. Submit your story ideas to [email protected].

Source