DETAILS of the councillors tasked with considering the future of Highcliffe zig zag path have been revealed ahead of the group's first formal meeting.

A team of Christchurch Borough Council members was formed following the decision to consider the repairing the coastal access path at full council last month.

After a long and emotive debate, it was decided a task and finish group will be formed to assess the situation and report back to council on February 20, 2018.

The seven members of the group are Cllr Vicki Hallam and Cllr Claire Bath, who proposed and seconded the motion to establish a dedicated body, Cllr Sally Derham Wilkes, Cllr Paul Hilliard, Cllr Margaret Phipps, Cllr John Lofts and Cllr Colin Bungey.

The path has been closed for several months for safety reasons.

The task and finish group will hold its first official meeting on Tuesday December 5, with leading members of the team campaigning to repair and reopen the path invited to attend.

The Echo understands an informal meeting was held by the councillors last week as they set about formulating more detailed information to present back to council.

Meanwhile, the campaign to reopen the walkway from Highcliffe Castle to the seafront has continued to build with the production of several zig zag car sticker and badge designs.

Stewarts Garden Centres has given financial support to create the items, which have already travelled as far as Cairo and New York.

Martin Stewart, owner of Stewarts Garden Centres, said: "I got involved because I live locally, I walk along the cliffs most days and previously used the zig zag path a lot and it is really popular.

"On a personal not I do not believe it had the level of discussion it deserved and I think the residents deserve it to be looked at more thoroughly.

"Those steps really are a tough climb and I think residents of Christchurch and Highcliffe deserve it to be assessed in detail."

Residents battled to get the zig zag path back on the council agenda, following an initial meeting in August, which voted to not proceed with rebuilding the path.

A petition signed by more than 3,000 people was presented to full council in September.

Their efforts paid off, with the decision to form the task and finish group.