91Èȱ¬

Coastal defences worth more than £6m for a seaside town have been approved by a council.

Bridgend authority will now put the required work at Western Breakwater and Eastern Promenade, Porthcawl, out to tender.

It is thought the structures' failure could lead to 531 homes being put at flood risk.

The current Western Breakwater defences were built almost 200 years ago.

They are often pictured with heavy waves crashing over them during storms.

The inspection of the Western Breakwater undertaken in March 2017 identified this breakwater was in a deteriorating condition warranting intervention.

Speaking on 91Èȱ¬ Radio Wales Breakfast, councillor Charles Smith said: "In Porthcawl we haven't got the problems of inland counties.

"We have fast flowing rivers in Bridgend but here we have got the problem of sea defence.

"The esplanade sea defences were completed this year and it's quite dramatic how those defences are doing their job of dissipating the energy of those waves and rendering those waves harmless.

"[These are] waves that in times gone by would have overlapped and flooded this part of the town centre.

"Those sea defences are fit for purpose and are doing their job, but they are 200 years old, so they are coming to the end of their life cycle, and they need refurbishment and replacement."