THE FIRST delivery of boulders for the new £32 million Aberaeron flood defence arrived by sea over the weekend.

A barge anchored off the Ceredigion town's coast with boulders from Norway on Sunday.

Ceredigion County Council said: "The first delivery of rocks from Norway have started to arrive for the Aberaeron Coastal Defence Scheme.

"These are specialist 3-10 tonne boulders, which are essential to form the core of the proposed rock breakwater extending out from the existing north pier."

Welcoming the arrival, local county councillor, Elizabeth Evans, added: "If you’d been in Ceredigion Council over the last months, you would have heard me repeatedly thanking Ceredigion Council for going into substantial reserves, beyond what was initially expected of them, to help fund this project.

"I continue to be thankful, and no more so than today, when the enormity of the project is apparent.

"Diolch hefyd i Senedd Cymru, Team Bam Nuttall, and the amazing barge driver and operatives. Diolch Norway."

The £31.59m Aberaeron Coastal Defence Scheme is funded through a £26.85m contribution from the Welsh Government’s Coastal Risk Management Programme, together with a £4.74m contribution from Ceredigion County Council.

The scheme includes the construction of a rock breakwater extending out from North Pier, refurbishment and re-building of pier head of South Pier, construction of flood walls, construction of flood gate at Pwll Cam inner harbour and improvements to the existing defences on South Beach.