Stuart Godman will be guarding the beaches at Charmouth

Stuart Godman will be guarding the beaches at Charmouth until September to deter people from climbing up and chipping away at the cliffs.

The county council has introduced the fossil warden amid increasing concern about safety and damage to the cliffs.

It hopes Mr Godman will encourage fossil hunters to avoid the cliffs and instead look on the beach for fossils.

Mr Godman said: "My role is about giving good advice to people not to climb up or chip into the cliffs.

Chipping away

"The best and safest place to find fossils is on the beach where the sea has done all the hard work, washing away the soft mud to leave well preserved fossils in the sand and gravel.

"It will be a bit like doing mini guided walks over and over again, showing people how to collect successfully and safely."

Bournemouth University has also been commissioned to find out if people chipping away at the cliffs actually contribute towards erosion.

Scientists will use laser to scan sections of the cliff face throughout the year.

The results will be used to make detailed virtual models of the entire cliff.

The Dorset and east Devon coast, where countless fossils have been found over hundreds of years, is known as the Jurassic Coast after being given World Heritage Site status.