
Thorney Island footpath reopens after two-year closure
The statement added: "The Thorney Island Coastal Path has reopened to the public after we received confirmation that the works to the bridge and path had been completed and inspected."Thorney Island, a designated special protection area, has been joined to the mainland since 1870 after the reclamation of 72 hectares of tidal mudflats. It includes 2,800 hectares of intertidal mudflats which are internationally recognised for their importance for wildlife. It is home to species including brent geese, oystercatchers, lapwings,curlews, skylarks and shelducks.The circular walk takes in sites including Stanbury Point, St Nicholas' Church and Longmere Point. Thorney Island was taken over by the Ministry of Defence in 1984 and became an army base. The King Charles III and Sussex Border Path run around the entire perimeter of the peninsula.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
New sustainable route welcomed by Peterborough cyclists
A major upgrade to a city road has been completed, with cyclists and pedestrians hailing it as a safer and more accessible £2m scheme is funded by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority as part of Peterborough City Council's sustainable travel scheme features a widened footpath, a new pedestrian crossing and a dedicated cycleway enabling two-way bike travel along Thorpe works form part of a wider 10-year walking and cycling plan adopted by the council last year. William Sloane, a local resident, said the layout was better than before and hoped other cycle paths along the city's Green Wheel would also be improved. Jim, who used the route for the first time, described it as "good" and called for "more of these around the city".Fellow cyclist Izzy said he came to try the path after hearing it had opened. "So far, so good," he said. "Hopefully it will encourage more people to cycle and reduce pollution." Sue, who lives in the Longthorpe area, says the new crossing could have been better placed."I love the way the cycle path is so clearly signed and separated from the pavements and keep pedestrians safe," she said."But I don't think the crossing is at the right place. I would have liked it to be a bit further up near the bus stop as well."I walk a lot around the city so I think even better having more of these around the city."I think we have such a beautiful city with so many green areas. So to try linking them bit by bit would be good." Councillor Angus Ellis, cabinet member for the environment and transport at Peterborough City Council, previously said: "Thorpe Wood is a key link to areas of employment and leisure and the project will be a significant improvement to those that use the route."The new infrastructure will also link in to the new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Nene Parkway and provide a seamless transition between Longthorpe and Thorpe Wood."Other major developments with strong active-travel components in the city include the £48m Peterborough Station Quarter project and around £400,000 in grants for feasibility and early design work on 16 potential new cycling routes. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.


BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
'Asylum hotels are a drain on economy' Dudley Council leader says
A council leader has called asylum hotels "a drain on the local economy", saying the one asylum hotel in his borough was "still one hotel too many".Dudley Council's Conservative leader, Patrick Harley, said he had instructed a legal team to see if he could mount a legal challenge against the Home Office to prevent asylum seekers being housed in Dudley hotels, following Great Yarmouth winning a similar injunction in made the comments after announcing he had stopped asylum seekers from being eligible for a scheme offering discounts on leisure facilities in the BBC has approached the Home Office for comment. Harley said the fact only one hotel in Dudley was being used to house asylum seekers was due to "robust dealings with Serco and the Home Office".The council leader claimed that there were nearly 4,000 asylum seekers placed in hotels across the West Midlands by Serco, but only 72 were in is one of the three companies responsible for asylum accommodation in the UK."One hotel is too many because I do not want the hotels in the borough to be full of asylum seekers," Harley told the BBC."We have a thriving visitor economy where we need quality hotels full of visitors who want to spend at our visitor attractions. "Instead, we have a failed Home Office ready and willing to fill them with people who have nothing to offer our visitor or wider economy." Figures published last month showed the government spent nearly a third less on hotels to house asylum seekers between April 2024 and March Home Office's annual accounts show £2.1bn was spent on hotel accommodation - an average of about £5.77m per day, down from £3bn or £8.3m per day the previous year.A senior Home Office source said one of the main factors behind the saving was moving some asylum seekers from hotels into other types of cheaper said the department had prioritised moving families and children into regular housing so they were not living in hotels for long periods of time. 'Services are for residents' Harley also addressed The Options+ Leisure Discount Scheme, set up in Dudley in 2004, which had been offering discounts to leisure facilities for a number of different groups, including asylum to the council leader, the scheme had helped 2,400 people over the last 21 years, including people on low incomes, registered carers, blue badge holders, students and scheme costs £12 a year for adults and £6 for under 16s, offering half price leisure activities at a number of facilities for people within certain concessionary groups."I became aware this week that asylum seekers had been added at some point and were eligible, although only six have ever taken advantage of the scheme," he said."Notwithstanding this, as soon as I became aware I made the decision as leader to remove it so asylum seekers can no longer gain access to this concession."I am of the opinion these services are for Dudley residents – many of whom have contributed to the funding of them through business rates or council tax." Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.


BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
cdxyq895r1do (GIF Image, 1 × 1 pixels)
Joshua Askew BBC News, South East Claire Hartley Organisers have called it the "biggest" free seaside airshow in the country A popular four-day airshow which is being led by the Red Arrows is set to begin on Thursday. The Eastbourne International Airshow is due to open at 10:30 BST, with flying currently scheduled to start at 13:15. The Red Arrows will feature on every day of Airbourne, according to organisers Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC). It said the event - the "biggest free seafront airshow in the UK" - gives the economy a "huge boost" and brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to the town. Claire Hartley The event is "great" for residents and businesses, said a councillor The local authority had previously warned the airshow could be at risk amid ongoing funding challenges. This year's Airbourne - now in its 31st year - coincides with the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, marking Japan's surrender to the Allied forces and the end of World War Two in 1945. Military displays are set to include the RAF Typhoon and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, featuring the Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane. Claire Hartley One plane with a wingspan of over 40m is due to fly, said organisers EBC councillor Margaret Bannister said she was "delighted" that "some real crowd favourites" would be at the show. She added Airbourne was "great news for residents, visitors and local businesses." A Royal Navy black cats helicopter display team is due to be at the event, alongside Airborne's largest-ever aircraft with a wingspan of 42.4m - more than three times the length of a double-decker bus. Related internet links Eastbourne Borough Council