A section of cliff collapsed onto a busy beach in Devon just metres from holidaymakers. Part of the cliff at Jacob's Ladder beach in Sidmouth collapsed on Saturday afternoon (July 18), only a short distance away from people visiting the coast.
Photographs showed a cloud of red dust rising after the cliff fall as stunned onlookers watched from the shore and in the water. One person can be seen standing with their dog on the sand while others take pictures of the dust accumulating across the beach.
Stunned onlookers watch on
The collapse appears to have occurred at the bottom of Jacob's Ladder, where dozens of people stood nearby. Despite this, many people remained on the beach as the dust dispersed, while others stood back at a safer distance.
This adds to a series of recent landslips across sections of the Jurassic Coast, prompting coastal path closures and public safety warnings. Sidmouth's sandstone cliffs are particularly susceptible to erosion and collapse, especially following extreme weather.
Safety warnings issued
Entire sections of the beach can become buried in mere seconds as debris causes large boulders to fall from the cliff. Following an incident of rockfall at the end of June, some properties at the top of the cliff have been left just metres from the 120-metre drop.
The coastguard has advised people to stay away from the base and edge of the cliffs, remaining at least the height of the cliff away from its base. Visitors are also asked to follow warning signs and barriers, and avoid exploring areas struck by rockfall.
