British beach to be left to waves

LONDON, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- The Natural Trust has given up its battle with the sea on one of England's most famous stretches of coast, allowing Studland Beach in Dorset to erode naturally.

Scientists predict at least 10 coastal sites protected by the Natural Trust will eventually be lost to the waves, The Telegraph said. They include St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall and the white chalk cliffs at Birling Gap in East Sussex.

At Studland, about 300 feet of beach have disappeared in the past 25 years and beach huts have been moved back three times. The trust says the restaurant and car park are likely to go in the next few years.

"We have to let natural processes take their course and try and work with that the best we can," said Doug White of the National Trust. "We are fortunate in a way here that there won't be a lot of damage to the socio-economic situation. We haven't got large communities here that are going to be directly affected by the sea."

The trust had been using metal cages filled with rocks to slow erosion.

"The idea is to work with the natural processes. It's difficult and we have to plan for the future," White said.

"But the beach is going to be here for many, many years and people will still want to come here and enjoy it."