WEST Dorset MP Oliver Letwin is to press the government to come up with cash to help pay for the Beaminster Tunnel repairs.

A plea for financial help from Dorset County Council to the Department for Transport has fallen on deaf ears, which leaves the county facing an unexpected bill for more than £2 million.

Mr Letwin said: “I am going to go back into bat and see if there is some other way we can get some money for this.”

Council leader Angus Campbell wrote to Norman Baker, parliamentary Under-Secretary of State making Dorset’s case for help after the landslip at the tunnel closed the main A3066 in July.

The county’s Cabinet is meeting today to decide the next step in reopening the tunnel and confirm funding arrangements.

Options before the Cabinet include adding protective entrance hoods or stabilisation of the slopes around the mouth of the tunnel.

The estimated cost is likely to be more than £2.1 million for which there is no current provision in the county council’s already tight budget.

Coun Campbell asked the government to consider an extraordinary grant for the ‘urgent and unusual highways issue’.

But Mr Baker responded by saying that it would be unfair to taxpayers and other local authorities if extra funding was given to Dorset.

County Councillor Rebecca Knox said it was disappointing to be turned down but the money would be found from somewhere.

She said: “I believe there is an argument for national government funding and we will continue the discussion.

“We are not going to give up.

“It is a lot of money but it has got to be found because the A3066 needs opening.”

Coun Knox added that an update on the options for making the tunnel safe would be provided at the cabinet meeting.

She added the initial refusal was from the government’s transport budget but there were other options from other budgets.

The tunnel has been closed since July 7 when a landslip killed Rosemary Snell and Michael Rolfe.