Montrose beach boardwalk has been closed off again in the wake of an accident during the “impossible” battle against coastal erosion.
An elderly dog walker is understood to have hurt his head in a fall on the broken boardwalk.
Although it is thought he escaped serious injury, the incident led to immediate closure of the route by Angus Council.
Montrose councillor David May raised the issue with council chiefs after being told about the accident but admitted the long-standing fight against the effects of the tides is one that is being lost.
“I went down to the beach and noticed that there were problems with the boardwalk, and quite sensibly the decision was taken to close it off,” he said.
“Over the course of the last 10 years or so it has been fixed and broken on a number of occasions.
“It is a popular access to the beach, but we cannot put people at risk.
“This is obviously a short-term measure. There has been quite considerable discussion about how to deal with the erosion but trying to fight against nature is almost impossible,” continued Mr May.
Rock armour is one possible longer-term solution and has been put in place elsewhere on the Montrose seafront, but Mr May admitted it was a costly protection option.
He added: “The erosion is very bad and from the golf course it is clearly visible just how bad it is.
“This latest incident is not just about closing the boardwalk. I also want to make people aware that if they are going onto the beach they should be very careful of their own safety and be aware of just how steep the dunes are and how dangerous they could be.”
An Angus Council spokesman said: “Coastal erosion has resulted in the deterioration of the boardwalk and, while we recognise the demand from locals and visitors alike for ramped beach access, it has been necessary to close the pathway at this time.
“It will reopen once safe and sustainable repairs have been carried out in accordance with the wider coastal erosion issues that affect Montrose Bay.
“Councillor May made us aware of the incident involving this gentleman and we wish him a speedy recovery.”