FOR the first time in more than a year, the Seaton River is now running in its natural course around the edge of the cafe on Seaton's seafront.

The contractors who are building a new and strengthened sea wall along the edge of the beach on behalf of Cornwall Council have been digging out sand to divert the river back to its original bed.

The aim is to protect the roadway in rough weather similar to that experienced during the severe storms which struck the Westcountry coastline in the first few months of 2014.

Following last year's winter storms – which local people say removed a considerable depth of sand from the beach – the river had altered its course across the beach and had instead been running alongside part of the seawall.

Its course has had to be returned to normal as otherwise the strengthening work could not have continued.