The vital rail route linking the South Hams to the rest of the country is finally being reopened today.

After two months of being cut off following the strong February storms, which smashed the rail track at Dawlish, passenger services along the coastal rail route are due to resume on Friday, April 4.

Network Rail staff have been working day and night to rebuild the track and sea defences to restore the vital passenger link to South Devon and Cornwall in time for the Easter launch of the tourist season.

The major repair effort means that today's opening is a full two weeks ahead of schedule and comes at the start of the school holidays ahead of Easter.

The reopening has been welcomed by the South Hams amid serious concerns that the area's tourism economy has already been damaged by the rail closure and the national publicity surrounding it.

For weeks the region has been desperate to get the message across that, despite the storms and the damage to the rail line, it is still business as usual as regards tourism.

Ivybridge mayor Karen Pringle said: 'It's great that they got it done so quickly, especially just before Easter, which without it would have put more visitors off.

'It's also obviously good for commuters, to whom a straightforward journey will make a huge difference.'

Margaret Punchard, new chair of the Ivybridge Chamber of Commerce, commented: 'Although we're not historically a tourist town, such as Totnes, we do get visitors and the news of the rail line being reopened will hopefully bring more people into Ivybridge this Easter.'

Pruw Boswell, mayor of Totnes, which is home to one of the district's two main line railway stations, said: 'I'm very glad to hear the news. The rail link is very important to Totnes, and the South Hams as a whole, when it comes to the local economy.'

She said she and her husband had both been caught up in travel difficulties just two weeks ago as they journeyed to London by train.

'It's just coming up to the visitor season and I'm sure not being able to travel properly would put people off,' she added. 'This reopening is very important.'

More than 300 engineers have been working on the damaged seafront at Dawlish, repairing the 100m breach with nearly 5,000 tonnes of concrete and 150 tonnes of steel, before installing a new 200m track, which has been ready-built for installation.

Last month a Network Rail spokesman said: 'Network Rail is acutely aware of the value of the railway to the economy of the South West of England and has been working closely with local authorities, business groups and transport providers in and around Dawlish to ensure that disruption is minimised.

'Restoring this vital asset in time for the busy school holiday period will provide a welcome boost to the regional economy as business and tourism return to South Devon and Cornwall.'

Patrick Hallgate, western route managing director at Network Rail, said: 'We're determined to complete this work in time for the school holidays to support the vital tourism trade in Dawlish, South Devon and across the South West of England.'

To mark the reconnection at Dawlish, Network Rail's chief executive has organised a celebration involving local community leaders and representatives from train operators Arriva CrossCountry and First Great Western, which is going ahead at Dawlish Station today.