West Bay's new beach wheelchair scheme has assisted a local student to complete the Jubilee Challenge – similar to the Ten Tors for those with special educational needs.

The wheelchair scheme launched in West Bay in April, providing improved beach access for those with disabilities, with several different types of wheelchair available to hire, one of which can float in the sea and can be used in conjunction with a qualified swimming coach so that the carers do not necessarily need to be in the water.

Organisers were contacted back in March by Jimmy Dailey, the outdoor education lead at Westfield Arts College in Weymouth, which is a special educational needs school. 

He asked to borrow the Hippocampe wheelchair for a pupil called Nathan Cronin, who is wheelchair bound and needed a specialised, off-road chair to complete in this year's Jubilee Challenge.

The wheelchair was lent to the school free of charge and allowed Nathan to complete the challenge, head near Okehampton Camp and designed for young people aged between the ages of 14 and 21 with a range of challenging conditions who complete one of several routes suited to their abilities.

Nathan sent the organisers of the West Bay wheelchair scheme a thank you card and photographs from his challenge.

They said: "It is such an amazing achievement for Nathan and we are really pleased the Hippocampe was used to facilitate this."

Parkdean, which owns West Bay Holiday Park and is the UK's largest holiday park operator, is now facilitating free hire of the wheelchairs.

You can book one by calling 07342 236 443 or via the Bridport Tourist Information website https://bridportandwestbay.co.uk/

There is also now a Changing Places toilet provided by Parkdean, which is available for the public to use at any time. A second one is being installed in West Bay Road later in the year.  

Each will have a toilet, an adult changing bed, shower and a hoist and will offer a crucial but basic need for people with complex disabilities so they can enjoy a whole day at the beach instead of having to go home when they need to use the facilities.