Latest island routes open on King's coast path

Two new sections of a coastal walking route on the Isle of Wight have been opened to the public.

The new stretches form part of the King Charles III England Coast Path, totalling about 16 miles (25km), from Thorness Bay to Chilton Chine.

Natural England is working with landowners to improve public access along all 92 miles (148km) of the Isle of Wight coast.

The agency's Graham Horton said the paths would "boost local economies and leave a legacy of health and wellbeing benefits for the region".

The 1.8-mile (3km) IOW8 route, which runs from Thorness Bay to Gurnard Luck is the latest stretch to be opened.

The other is a 14-mile (22.5km) IOW4 route, which starts at the secluded Binnel Bay on the island's south coast and runs to Chilton Chine, a site known for dinosaur fossil discoveries.

They follow the recent openings of the IOW3 route from Culver Down to Binnel Bay and the IOW5 route from Chilton Chine to Colwell Chine.

It means that walkers can now go all the way from Culver Down near Sandown to Colwell Chine in Freshwater on one continuous 38-mile (61km) path.

Stretches still to be opened include those from Wootton Bridge to Culver Down and Hamstead Point to Thorness Bay.

The route between East Cowes Ferry and Wootton Bridge is yet to be determined, with proposals previously criticised by farmers.

Natural England ultimately aims to improve public access along all 92 miles (148km) of the Isle of Wight coast.

The works form part of a national programme by Natural England to create a coastal path around the entirety of England, which will become "the longest managed coastal walking route in the world when completed at around 2,700 miles (4,345km) long.