The World Heritage Site that covers Sidmouth is benefiting from a £68,100 grant that will allow it to recruit a legion of volunteers.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has lent its backing to the ‘Growing the Jurassic Coast Community’ project to help generate widespread interest and support.

A team of 40 Jurassic Coast ambassadors will be running guided walks, giving talks, coordinating local beach cleans and organising fundraising activities.

They will be among 250 volunteers set to be recruited to increase community engagement with the World Heritage Site so it can be better cared for and understood.

Project leader Alexandra O’Dwyer said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of HLF to breathe life into the Jurassic Coast community. So many people love our World Heritage Site and enjoy it every day.

“This project will create ways to harness this interest and passion so that people can give something back to the coastline and help us build a support network for the future.

“Whatever your interest is in the coast, there is a way that you can get involved to help us to look after it.”

The project will also link up with another successful scheme, which gets businesses to shout about the importance of the Jurassic Coast to them.