SOUTHEND Council has completed its latest phase of sea defence repair work.

Contractors have completed work along Westcliff and Chalkwell seafronts.

Sections of the sea wall which had been damaged by 100 years of exposure to the elements have been reinstated using heavy mass concrete blocks inlaid with ragstone pieces.

Damaged concrete blocks on top of the sea wall were also replaced and groyne timbers which had become rotten have been removed and new ones installed.

Mark Flewitt, Executive Councillor for Planning and Transport, said: “The current works have returned the repaired areas of wall, as far as possible, to their “as new” condition.

“There have been a number of repairs carried out in the past which out of necessity did not match the original work.

“But this is the first attempt in a long time to restore the sea wall to its original condition, thanks to the increased budget made available by the council for maintenance of flood defences."

The groyne at the west end of Chalkwell Beach is still to be replaced and will be completed before the school summer holidays begin.

Contractors will shortly commence work on replacing rotten groynes in the Shoebury area.