STORM damage at Studland is due to be repaired after the South West Coast Path Association secured £1million of funding.

The bid to the Coastal Communities Fund will be used to repair, improve and promote the path which covers 630 miles from Minehead to Poole.

Funds will help with 32 urgent repair works to the path, including storm damage at Studland, information boards and signs, and marketing.

This will create and safeguard around 788 jobs from construction, management and tourism generated by the path.

Management of the Coast Path is co-ordinated by the Trail Partnership with representatives from local authorities, the NT and other landowners who will play an important role in delivering the two year project.

“The South West Coast Path is the region’s biggest tourist attraction, attracting around 8.6million people each year, this project will ensure we are able to repair the storm damaged sections and build resilience by increasing our marketing efforts,” said Alistair Handyside, Trail Partnership chairman.

Before 2012 an average three to five path diversions a year would be expected however due to the exceptional weather in the past two years, there have been more than 50.

Record breaking rainfall broke down cliffs while storm surges damaged shorelines. The backlog of 32 path repairs will cost an estimated £552,340.

Ken Carter, vice-chairman of the South West Coast Path Association said: “The funding from Coastal Communities will help the SWCPA and the National Trust to also deliver a range of events for people to enjoy our coastal assets.”

Due to the pressure on local authority budgets, and a 30 per cent reduction in the SWCP maintenance funding since 2010, another source of funding had to be found.

Around £100,000 will be spent on improving signs at sites including 43 belonging to the National Trust.