Villagers Can Now Say Life’s a Beach

VILLAGERS on the Northumberland coast yesterday flocked to a party on their new beach.

A summer-long pounds 10m construction programme has transformed the seafront at Newbiggin by the Sea, which now features a new beach and the new offshore sculpture, Couple.

As well as the 500,000 tonnes of new sand, environmental improvements have also been made to the promenade, and the project is almost finished.

And as a gesture to residents, those behind the project yesterday held a party on the beach to thank them for their support during construction.

Events included a sandcastle competition, music from the Ashington Colliery Band, and free funfair rides.

Couple, the UK’s first permanent offshore sculpture, depicts a man and woman gazing out to sea and is located on the 200m-long rock breakwater built as part of the Defrafunded coastal protection and beach recharge scheme.

(c) 2007 The Journal – Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.