Access to one of the county's most popular beaches has been improved recently thanks to the work of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

The public footpath that provides access from Penally railway station to Tenby's South Beach has been improved and widened to provide access for a greater range of mobility aids.

Speaking of the project at the launch of the path, National Park access and rights of way manager, Anthony Richards, said: "The original path was a narrow tarmac stretch of 0.8 metres width used to provide access across the golf course and sand dunes to reach the viewing platform at South Beach. This has proved to be too narrow for modern wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

"We have now widened the path and improved the surface.

"The National Park Authority was successful in obtaining a grant from the Welsh Assembly Government's Coastal Access Improvement Programme which has met 75 per cent of the cost of the work.

"We're extremely grateful to the landowners - the Defence Estates and Tenby Golf Club - and the local community for their co-operation with the project. I'd also like to offer our thanks to Mr Pierce Murphy from the Pembrokeshire Access Group who has provided advice from a user perspective."

The biodiversity of the site has been protected as part of the works through obtaining SSSI (Special Site of Scientific Interest) consent from the Countryside Council of Wales, which will protect rare plants such as spiky rush and Portland spurge.

The work was carried out by local contractors G. D. Harries and National Park ranger Tim Jones worked with voluntary wardens to replace a substantial wooden revetment where the footpath passes through the sand dunes.