Work under way to reopen Ryhope beach after safety concerns

Work is under way to reopen a Sunderland beach shut off for safety reasons.

The steps to Ryhope Beach were closed by Sunderland City Council in early August, after coastal erosion led to the entrance becoming increasingly unsafe.

It is estimated the cliff edge on the south side of the steps has eroded by around five metres (16ft) in the last five years, with the erosion rate of the soft limestone cliffs undermining the concrete and weakening the structure of the steps.

While village residents understood the reason for the closure, the lack of a start date for work to restore the entrance sparked concerns that any delay could mean further erosion which could have a lasting impact on the beauty spot.

Now, following calls from residents and ward councillors, work has begun.

Coun Lindsey Leonard said: “We are thrilled that work has finally resumed on the restoration of the steps to Ryhope beach.

“Ever since they were closed off to the public, we’ve been keeping residents updated on the progress and constantly asking the Council if they can make the works a priority and we are delighted that those calls have now been heard.

"The beach has always been the jewel in Ryhope’s crown, however, in the wake of Covid more residents than ever before really grew to appreciate having it on their doorstep and hopefully it won’t be too long until they can enjoy visiting it once again."

Retired schoolteacher Helen Glancy was one of the campaigners calling for the steps to be restored. She has since decided to stand as a local councillor and has been accepted to represent the Labour Party in May’s upcoming local elections.

"I’ve always been interested in politics and have helped canvas in the past, however it wasn’t until I got involved in helping restore the access to Ryhope beach that I thought I’d quite like to give it a go," she said.

"Working with the ward councillors, it was fantastic seeing first-hand how they could help ensure residents voices were heard and now that I’m retired, I thought, why not?

"I’ve always loved this area and often visited the beach when out walking and have a real passion for helping out in the community and especially supporting young people, so I can’t wait to get involved in even more projects and see what we can achieve.”