People heading out for walks on the South West Coast Path are being asked to avoid the most popular areas, to reduce the risk of erosion.

With more people enjoying local walks during lockdown, along with the effect of winter weather, the South West Coast Path Association has warned that parts of the route have been damaged.

The association is also anxious that people should observe social distancing and the 'rule of six' when using the path.

Spokeswoman Becky Millington is asking local residents to 'think about going a bit broader and not just hitting those honey-pot sites that we all know about'.

She said these sites tend to be located near beaches, especially those with facilities nearby.

"So if people are in Dawlish, for example, and it's extremely busy at the seafront, we'd encourage them to explore some of our circular routes to spread out and enjoy walks in the area."

Some of the local walks suggested on the South West Coast Path website are The Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve, Dawlish to Dawlish Warren, the Riviera Line – Starcross – Cockwood circular, and Starcross to Powderham.