British tourists are being encouraged to holiday on the South Coast this summer by two Dorset towns which will accept unwanted euros.

Businesses across Bournemouth and Poole will accept the European currency in a move to welcome holidaymakers that may shun trips to the continent.

Hotels, restaurants and guest houses are among the traders which plan to take on the scheme.

Tourism chiefs believe the move could be worth about £10m to the region.

The figure is based on the estimate of half a million tourists each spending 20 euros as a part of their holiday budget.