Walkers will be able to enjoy a Kent beauty spot all year around after £150,000 was spent improving a clifftop path.

The 2.2km walkway runs along the top of the White Cliffs of Dover, offering stunning views over the English Channel.

Work has now been undertaken to resurface the 1.8m wide footpath, making it safer for families to use and greatly reducing the risk of slipping.

Access has also been upgraded, with most steps being replaced by ramps.

Turf removed to create the path has been relocated to previously eroded areas to help restore the protected chalk grassland.

The work was carried out by Kent County Council (KCC), along with National Trust, Natural England and the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The project was delivered using grants from the Inter Reg - Experience Project, a funding scheme set up to boost off-season tourism, and King Charles III England Coast Path National Trail.

KCC’s cabinet member for community and regulatory services, Mike Hill said: “The £150,000 upgrade of our White Cliffs of Dover Public Right of Way has meant the footpath here now has a suitable surface for all times of the year.

“Looking out across the cliff top is extraordinary and now with better accessibility, more people will be able to take in the view this Site of Special Scientific Interest offers.

“An important part of this work has been to protect the site for the future and minimise impact on the surrounding landscape.

“Overall, this work has made the countryside easier to access for people all year around, encouraging walking as part of a healthier lifestyle in this enchanting part of the county.”

The White Cliffs of Dover are the only UK destination to feature in Lonely Planet’s Best Travel Guide 2022 and listed fourth in the world.

The cliffs also have a special place in national history, and were used for defence in both World Wars.

The stretch of the path also forms part of the new King Charles III England Coast Path, which will be the UK’s longest coastal path at 2,700 miles when complete.

National Trust general manager at The White Cliffs of Dover, Virginia Portman said: “We’re delighted that KCC have been able to upgrade the surface of the England Coast Path which will support our work to protect this fragile landscape whilst providing improved access for the hundreds of thousands of visitors we welcome every year.”

KCC’s chairman, Gary Cooke, who officially opened the path, said: “The White Cliffs are symbolic of our nation and this project also serves to emphasise the benefits of partnership through the joint working of those teams that came together to make this possible.”