A £9.3 MILLION scheme to stop a popular east coast tourist route from falling into the sea has been hampered by floods and storms - but highway bosses say it should still be completed in April.

The works to stabilise a one kilometre stretch of the A174 at Sandsend between Saltburn and Whitby started last Easter.

The road, which was built on old coastal defences, has been dogged by landslips and closures over the past few years after being undermined by heavy seas.

Campaigners have been battling for years for improvements, particularly after the storm surge in the winter of 2014/15 when the road was further damaged. The work has involved building 800 metres of sea defences with access stairs to the beach, as well as stabilising the eastern slopes and infilling Raithwaite Gill.

In January flash floods caused major problems closing the road and sending water cascading off the bank-sides and into the village of Sandsend, flooding at least three properties including the village pub, the Hart Inn.

There were concerns completion of the work would have delayed but Cllr Don Mackenzie, North Yorkshire County Council's executive member for highways said work on the eastern slope had been completed and the western slope stabilisation was progressing well until the heavy rains arrived at Christmas.

However work is still expected to be completed on schedule by the end of April.

Whitby county councillor David Chance said the repairs and stabilisation were vital.

"It has been a major undertaking and the flooding and storms have been a big problem," he said.

"But it had to be done, that road is crucial to the economic viability of the area."

North Yorkshire County Council has invested £4.5 million in the project, with the Environment Agency footing the rest of the bill.