England Coastal Path: Liverpool to Lancashire walkway plans unveiled

The route will pass Antony Gormley's Another Place sculptures Crosby beach

Plans for 72-mile (115km) walkway along England's coastline between Merseyside and Lancashire have been unveiled.

Natural England wants to create the route linking Liverpool's Pier Head to Cleveleys, taking in landmarks and beauty spots along the way.

It will pass through seaside towns including Southport and Blackpool, the award-winning Crosby beach and the RSPB reserves in Hesketh Bank and Marshside.

If approved, it would be part of the 2,700-mile England Coastal Path plan.

The work will also see a path built for the first time linking the city of Preston with the coast.

There will be bird-watching opportunities in RSPB reserves including Hesketh Bank in Lancashire

People will be able to explore Formby's "dynamic dunes" a National Trust conservationist said

It is the second phase of the wider route through Lancashire after the pathway between Cleveleys and Silecroft in Cumbria was revealed in January.

If approved, the route will also pass Antony Gormley's Another Place sculptures at Crosby beach.

Ginny Hinton, Natural England's area manager for Cheshire to Lancashire said: "This new stretch provides wonderful opportunities for locals and visitors to get up close to wildlife in some of the numerous nature reserves on the paths."

Michael Green, cabinet member for environment and planning at Lancashire County Council, described the plans as "exciting".

Andrew Brockbank, National Trust countryside manager at Formby said the would follow existing natural paths and dune land, providing spectacular views.

An eight-week public consultation is due to end in December.

Other stretches of pathway are already open in Cumbria, Norfolk, Dorset, Kent, Somerset, Yorkshire, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Lincolnshire.

Natural England said it expects work to be under way - and hopefully completed - by the end of 2021.