ENGINEERS repairing the sea wall footpath at Dawlish have urged people to avoid the area while work is completed.

Gates were put up recently to prevent walkers using the footpath for safety reasons.

Warning signs put up previously had been ignored so the gates were installed.

However, walkers have now been climbing over these gates to get along the path.

Network Rail says it now moved the closure of the old sea wall slightly back towards Dawlish from the Langstone/Red Rock end.

This means anyone on the beach at that point can get back up too the footpath.

At the Dawlish end, the footpath remains closed at Coastguards, where the old sea wall meets the new.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: ‘Unfortunately, we’re still receiving reports of people climbing over the gates.

‘Please don’t attempt to do this – the path is closed to keep everyone safe while we carry out repairs.’

The work is underway to repair damage caused by recent storms.

Contractors have also cleared debris from under the Colonnade viaduct which had been ripped up during the storm.

The spokesman explained: ‘Our work is going to take a number of weeks so the footpath is unlikely to reopen by the Easter holiday.

‘We’re sorry for any disappointment. We’ll keep you updated as work progresses.

‘Thanks for bearing with us, everyone.’

Work in Teignmouth at Sprey Point is expected to be opened soon and was kept closed for a few more days than had been anticipated to keep walkers and machinery separate.

The work has been needed to repair damage from two storms in February.

Damage was caused to the older part of Dawlish sea wall.