MORE than 70 tonnes of sand has landed in Guildhall Square to bring a new beach to the city.

Visitors can now enjoy the 480 square metre beach, as well as a full-sized volleyball court, a stage and a bar, which is named ‘Seaside in the Square’.

The event will also play host to a variety of sports while live acts curated by 15 different Southampton venues will bring the stage to life.

And organisers say that a full programme of events from outdoor cinema to beach yoga and sand art will bring the thrill of the seaside to the city this summer.

It has been arranged by Southampton’s Business Improvement District, Go! Southampton.

A spokesperson said: “The whole team at Go!Southampton is incredibly proud and excited to be launching Seaside in the Square today.

“It’s the result of a lot of hard work but also some very fruitful collaborations with more than 20 local organisations who have come together to help us put on something quite spectacular.

“With over 100 free activities over 34 days, it’s an ambitious project, but it’s exactly the sort of thing that should be happening in a buzzing city like Southampton, putting us firmly on the map.

“See you on the sand.”

The programmes of events officially launches at 9am today.

Aerodynamic yoga, family friendly outdoor activities and the official launch party with The Lion Men are some of the activities taking place.

Businesses and groups will be sponsoring events at the beach and will takeover activities and events while the beach is open until August 22.