ALTHOUGH Europe’s first artificial reef isn’t due for completion until the autumn, it didn’t deter windsurfing ace Guy Cribb from being first to put it to the test.

As stormy seas lashed the South Coast, the 13 times UK champion from Poole made surfing history.

Guy, 39, who has windsurfed all over the world, told the Daily Echo: “I’ve ridden waves in Hawaii and Australia but it was great to score some good surf in Bournemouth in July.

“The reef is already showing huge potential as a great wave spot.”

Bournemouth council stressed that the reef was still a construction site and unsafe for surfers.

But Rex Pollock, contractor ASR Ltd’s marine construction manager, said: “It’s great to see the reef producing decent surfing conditions before it’s even finished. We don’t, however, encourage people to use the reef.

“The base layer was |completed last year, the flat layer on top is now complete and we are now working on the ramp which pushes up the waves. Construction is on schedule; 11 out of 18 huge |geo-textile bags are laid and filled.

“One they are all laid we still need several weeks to fine tune the structure. If weather conditions are consistently good we anticipate an autumn finish date.”

The reef will be about the size of a football pitch and contain 26,000 tonnes of sand, sitting about four metres from the seabed and 250 metres off shore.

Mr Pollock added: “Already our team of expert divers have seen marine life growing on the reef which is covered in fish eggs and home to spider crabs.”