The authorities in the South of France have halted building work aimed at closing off access to a public beach.

Plage de la Mirandole privatisée durant le séjour de la famille royale saoudienne https://t.co/95cM3SMCTC#Valbonnepic.twitter.com/omw7W2KwoI — Nice-RendezVous (@actualites_nrv) 15 Juillet 2015

Villa Aurora belongs to the Saudi royal family but the public has free access to the beach via an underpass.

The complex is at Vallauris on the Cote d’Azur, the narrow strip of coast between Nice and Cannes.

Work to close off a tunnel – the only access to the beach – was discovered during a routine inspection.

It had begun before discussions about security measures ahead of the Saudi royal family’s arrival were finished.

A large concrete slab was laid down on the beach last week. It will be closed to the public while the Saudi royal family are in residence.

A meeting between French and Saudi officials is due to take place on Thursday.