A world-famous British beauty spot has seen its pebble beach transformed by sand overnight, much to the delight of locals. The change at Birling Gap, near Eastbourne in East Sussex, is believed to be the result of recent winter storms.
Mary Sievwright, speaking from the beach on Tuesday, described it as "beautiful". She told the BBC: "I wish it had been like this when the children were young. It would have been great fun when I was a kid because we all had to scramble over pebbles the whole time." She noted there were now plenty of nice places to put a towel down and sit with family.
Birling Gap is part of the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs and marks where the South Downs meets the sea. The site is managed by the National Trust, whose spokesperson advised people to enjoy the change while it lasts. They explained: "The action of strong waves during storms and high tides can reveal sandy patches on the beach, which are usually covered by flint pebbles at other times of the year. This year has seen a higher than usual amount of sand appearing."
The spokesperson urged visitors to take care, check tide times, and keep well away from the cliff base at all times. The warning comes after nine people and a dog were rescued by HM Coastguard on Tuesday when a section of the cliffs collapsed, damaging access steps. No injuries were reported. Coastguard rescue teams from Birling Gap, Newhaven and Eastbourne used ropes to bring the stranded individuals to safety.
