Energy Secretary Amber Rudd has been invited to Bournemouth to see the potential risks posed by an offshore wind farm if it is built.

Bournemouth Tourism Management Board sent the invitation in an effort to prevent the Navitus Bay project going ahead.

Bournemouth County Council sent a letter this week urging the government not to go ahead with the wind farm proposal.

It is hoped the Energy Secretary will realise the potential harm it could have on the area’s local environment and tourism economy.

The wind project is a joint venture between Eneco Wind UK Ltd and EDF Energy Renewables.

Des Simmons, Chairman of Bournemouth Tourism Management Board said: “We would like to invite you to Bournemouth and show you around our vibrant tourism economy and our natural, untouched coastline – the main reason why 6.7 million tourists visit here every year.

“Imposing highly visible, industrial scale wind turbines into Poole Bay will significantly compromise our main tourist attraction.”