A popular section of Lowestoft's south beach could be open again by the summer after it was today revealed that £2million grant would be given by the government for the second phase of the works.

In October 2013, a large section of the beach was closed off by the council amid public safety concerns because of severe weather and an unusually high tide which damaged part of south beach.

The storm surge a couple of months later also caused damage to the seafront.

But news today of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) grant means an end to the closure is now in sight, with work to improve the seawall and safety in the area expected to start in March.

Waveney's cabinet member for planning and rural affairs, David Ritchie, said: 'We are delighted to have secured funding from Defra for the next phase of coastal protection in Lowestoft. We have been lobbying the government regarding a funding contribution for some time and now a grant has been confirmed, we can press ahead with further protection works to the south beach.'

For full details, see today's Journal.