Moment man dangles his legs over edge of 430ft high crumbling Dorset cliff just days after 4,000-ton of rock fell onto picturesque beach below
- The middle-aged man was spotted perched at precipice of the sandstone cliff alongside female companion
- The stretch of cliffs at Seatown on the Jurassic Coast recently experienced biggest landslide for 60 years
- Huge fall caused boulders the size of a small car and even trees to slump onto the beach and sea below
This is the moment a man dangles his legs over the edge of a 430ft high crumbling Dorset cliff just days after 4,000-ton of rock fell onto the picturesque beach below.
The middle-aged man was caught on camera perched at the precipice of the sandstone cliff with a female companion sat next to him.
Wearing a blue top, jeans and sunglasses, he casually swings his legs over the side, seemingly unaware of the danger he has put himself in.
The 1,000ft long stretch of cliffs at Seatown on the Jurassic Coast experienced its biggest landslide for 60 years on April 12.
The huge fall caused boulders the size of a small car and even trees to slump onto the beach below and into the sea.
A second smaller rockfall occurred a few days later, with coastguards urging people to keep away as further slips are likely.
However, some people have also been spotted on the beach blatantly ignoring warning signs by clambering over the landslip.
This is the shocking moment a man dangles his legs over the edge of a crumbling cliff where a 4,000-ton rockfall occurred last week
A close-up shot shows the middle-aged man perched at the precipice of the 400ft sandstone cliff with a female companion sat next to him
The 1,000ft long stretch of cliffs at Seatown on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast experienced its biggest landslide for 60 years on April 12
The huge fall caused boulders the size of a small car and even trees to slump onto the beach below and into the sea
Renewed safety advice has been issued by the coastguard, council and other authorities for people to not put themselves in danger
Pictured: The beach before the collapse. It is believed to have been caused by natural erosion, not helped by recent mixed weather
A huge chunk from the sandstone cliff gave way causing boulders the size of cars to plummet near Seatown in Dorset
Rangers were assessing the damage throughout last week, with Dorset Council still warning people to stay away
The ‘gigantic’ landslip affecting almost 1,000ft of cliffside took place overnight, with whole trees seen floating out to sea
The images of the pair on the cliff edge were taken by marketing manager Luke Williams.
Luke, 44, from Bournemouth, said: ‘They were sat very close to where the landslip happened.
‘A man had his legs dangling over the edge and there was another person sat slightly back from him.
‘It’s so clearly marked with signs I was surprised to see them that close.
‘The area is very well sighted – I honestly don’t think the National Trust could have made it any clearer.
‘It was surprising and disappointing to see.’
The landslips are believed to have been caused by natural erosion.
Richard Edmonds, a freelance geologist, said: ‘The cliffs there are a pretty complex blend of clay and sandstone.
‘From the pictures I have seen, it looks like a surprisingly large landslide and there is more to come.
‘There is a crack in the western side of the cliff so a lot more will come down.
‘It is such a steep cliff it wont be a gentle slide either – it will come absolutely crashing down.’
Renewed safety advice has been issued by the coastguard, council and other authorities for people to not put themselves in danger.
Matt Reeks, Dorset Council’s service manager for coast and greenspace, said: ‘The Jurassic Coast is a wonderful place to visit, but it’s important to use common sense and caution – stay away from the edge and base of cliffs and always pay attention to warning signs and safety messages.
‘Rockfalls can, and do, happen at any time. The Jurassic Coast looks the way it does because of erosion – meaning it is always on the move.’
Guy Kerr, of the Jurassic Coast Trust, said: ‘Our advice is still ‘keep clear’. Further landslides could happen at any time so it is advised that anyone walking this section of the path takes caution and avoids going anywhere near the edge of the cliff.
‘We also advice avoiding the area of the beach on which the landslide debris has fallen.’
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