THE Government has agreed to bail out West Bay's coastal defence and harbour improvements scheme after it went more than £2 million over budget.

Unexpected problems sent the project's costs rocketing from the original £16.1 million to £18.3 million.

Difficulties in strengthening the East Pier were blamed for most of the increase.

Now West Dorset District Council has heard that its application for additional funding to meet the shortfall has been approved.

Engineering Manager Keith Cole told The News: "I am pleased to confirm that the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has now formally approved the district council's request for an additional £2.2 million for the extra strengthening work that was needed for East Pier and other related work.

"This pier re-opened at the start of the school summer holidays and the benefits of the strengthening work can be seen in its increased width.

"The cost of the additional works will have no impact on the £2 million budget that the council has allocated for the regeneration project for West Bay which will include a new building on the Mound and road improvements."

Mr Cole added that the coastal defence and harbour improvements scheme continued to go well and was still on target for completion in December.

Bridport town an district councillor David Tett welcomed the news that the extra cash would be made available. He had warned that the increased costs of the main project could reduce the amount of money available for the West Bay regeneration works, which are planned to follow the sea defence scheme.

He said: "Having secured this additional funding it will now, presumably, mean monies being available and applied towards the repair of the harbour walls and infrastructure improvements and the Environmental Regeneration."