A major restoration programme has been prepared for a storm-battered beauty spot on the edge of the Moray Firth.
Parts of Inverboyndie beach, near Banff, were left extensively damaged after a spell of gale-force winds and torrential downpours in December 2012.
A well-trodden footpath, which links the sands to nearby Whitehills, was badly hit during the storms, causing its protective rock armour to become unstable.
Without attention, it was feared the state of the pathway could decline further and become a safety hazard.
Now Aberdeenshire Council chiefs have outlined work to restore the route and safeguard it from the elements. Elgin-based Billy Miller Contract and Plant Hire has been selected by the local authority to carry out work at the beach in the coming weeks.
The £13,430 project involves fitting new armour protection at exposed parts of the path, as well as strengthening it with extra stonework.
A council spokesman said last night: “These repairs are required to the footpath which links Whitehills and Inverboyndie.”
He said the work was expected to begin next month.
Last year, Inverboyndie was one of five beaches in the north-east which were rated “excellent” by the European Commission.
The sands, near the Banff Links Caravan Park, are well used by dog walkers and holidaymakers.
It is also a hotspot for surfers during the summer.
Last year, the caravan park was off-loaded by owners Aberdeenshire Council to a local community group as part of a money-saving drive which saw several other holiday camps in the region passed on to residents’ organisations.