The Belle Tout lighthouse at Beachy Head has to be moved 50 feet inland to save it from coastal erosion in the first operation of its kind in the world.

But first the land behind must be excavated in case work is carried out on top of archaeological remains. The Duke of Gloucester will turn the first piece of soil on Wednesday.

The foundation of the 600-tonne granite lighthouse will be lifted onto huge tracks and slid away from the cliff face.

It will be moved on to a foundation built at the new location and will take between two and six hours to move.

The project will cost £250,000 and has been paid for by the South Downs Lighthouse Trust, a charity set up to preserve Belle Tout.

When the lighthouse has moved, work will begin on a museum showing its colourful history.

Belle Tout opened in 1834, but had a working life of only 64 years because its light was hard to see on foggy days.

It had a brief spell as a tea room before becoming a luxury house, once visited by King George V.

Mark Roberts, who lives in the lighthouse, said: "It is a wonderful lighthouse, the only one with full-time residents in England."

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