IF YOU do like to be beside the seaside, then Cwmbran could be added as an alternative place to visit this summer as an urban beach comes to the town.

More than 150 tonnes of white sand is set to arrive to transform Cwmbran Shopping’s Gwent Square into a temporary free beach from July.

Organisers say it will allow visitors to relax on deck chairs, feast on ice cream and take part in beach yoga sessions from July 12 until September 2.

There will be beach games and live music, in addition to a community fashion show, and local retailers will have special offers and product samples for shoppers throughout the season.

Developed by permanent and temporary urban beach specialists Beach Events, the 20m2 beach has already been successfully placed in tropical destinations such as Antigua and Spain.

The company hopes to source the sand from local suppliers, but may seek to import from further afield to ensure a Caribbean-style white colouring.

The urban beach is being billed as one of the largest event in Cwmbran Shopping’s history and forms part of the centre’s Summer Fun campaign as the team aims to alter its events programme to give more back to the community.

Paul Rich, centre manager at Cwmbran Shopping, said: “We pride ourselves on delivering the best customer experience.

“The beaches developed by Beach Events have been used at the Olympics, in addition to popular festivals such as the Isle of Wight, and we’re thrilled to be able to bring it to Cwmbran.

“To have 150 tonnes of sand in the centre of Cwmbran will be fantastic for the local community. The beach will allow people to enjoy a white sandy beach without having to travel far afield.”

Bob Wellington, leader of Torfaen council, said: “People flock to Cwmbran Shopping from across the region and this wonderful beach initiative for their Summer Fun campaign is an exciting addition to the attractions in Cwmbran.”