URGENT work is being carried out to shore up the crumbling riverside Convent Walk in the historic heart of Christchurch in time for the summer.

Workmen who moved in last month to repair a section of the riverside walk between Bridge Street and Place Mill on Christchurch Quay discovered another part of the wall was on the verge of collapse.

Convent Walk has long been a public promenade, between the banks of the River Avon and its manmade Mill Stream tributary, and was given a major facelift in 1912 to mark the coronation of King George V.

Today the path is a popular attraction for locals and visitors alike to feed the ducks and view the town's most historic sites including the castle ruins, Constable's House and Priory.

Peter Barker, head of operations at Christchurch council, said: "This is an ancient wall which gets affected by the constant movement of the water. We noticed that parts of the wall were crumbling and called in contractors to deal with the problem."

They found that the wall was being pushed outwards by the roots of a nearby tree while the foundations had been undermined by the scouring effect of the water flowing through the stream to the harbour.

"It was cheaper for us to get the additional repairs done while the contractors were already on site than to wait for it to fail later on," said Mr Barker.

"Convent Walk is a very precious part of Christchurch's heritage, so it is important for us to make sure it is in good repair.

"We regret the disturbance to the flowerbed and the removal of the tree, but we will be arranging replacements and the area should be in a good condition ready for residents and visitors to enjoy before the summer."