Forget Australia's Gold Coast rips or Hawaii's heady breaks, England's south coast is about to become one of the next surfing hotspots thanks to groundbreaking ocean engineering.

Work has already begun on a £3 million artificial reef that is tipped to increase the number of good surfing days off Boscombe beach in Poole Bay from 77 to over 150.

The reef, which will measure the size of a football pitch, is made from dozens of specially-designed sandbags placed 200 metres off the coast.

Surfers should start reaping the benefits of the technology by the end of October but water sports schools in the area are already reporting a rise in new starters.

Andy Joyce of Surf Steps tells the Guardian: "We've got people taking lessons so that when it's working they'll be able to use it. It's created a real buzz."

Other beachside attractions in the area include the Bournemouth pier arcade and pier theatre, which has also recently undergone redevelopment.