Vital work to protect more than 3,000 homes and businesses from flooding is due to start next week.

The latest chapter of essential bi-annual beach management between Folkestone and Hythe will get underway on Monday.

Contractors will begin recycling and regrading shingle along the five-mile stretch of coast between Fisherman’s Beach in Hythe and Folkestone Harbour – a process that takes up to eight weeks to complete.

This approach is currently the most cost-effective way of protecting the district and offers far superior protection than the old timber groynes.

Cllr Stephen Scoffham, cabinet member for climate, environment and biodiversity at Folkestone and Hythe District Council, said: “This important task, which will see 142,000 tonnes of shingle moved on this occasion, is carried out twice a year and helps shield the sea wall.

“It’s all about further reducing the possibility of flooding and coastal erosion and, ultimately, protecting our residents.”

Shingle is moved from east to west to allow the longshore drift to naturally spread it to aid the prevention of overtopping during storm events.

Any disruption will be kept to a minimum – no work will be carried out between Christmas and the new year.

It follows fears residents could soon be left with nowhere to swim amid pool closures and declining seawater quality.

There is now a “real risk” that four out of the six bathing waters across the district could be designated as ‘poor’ in 2025.

This means that ‘do not swim’ warnings would come in for Folkestone beach and Dymchurch - in addition to advice already in place at Littlestone and St Mary’s Bay - if the levels do not improve.

Furthermore, following the closure of the Folkestone Sports Centre in July and with Hythe Swimming Pool on its “last legs”, concerned residents say the district could soon be left with nowhere to take a dip.

Figures released by the Environment Agency (EA) reveal the water at Dymchurch - a hugely popular beach for tourists and families - has contained higher levels of E.coli than neighbouring beaches at Littlestone and St Mary’s Bay over the past four years.

Folkestone beach, which is visited by thousands of people lured by the trendy harbour arm in the summer months, is also currently rated at ‘sufficient’, just one level above ‘poor’.