Tourists warned as another crack opens at cliffs

Visitors to Birling Gap in East Sussex have once again been warned to stay away from the edge of the cliffs after a new crack appeared.

The National Trust said the fresh crack in the cliff meant a chunk of it "could collapse at any time".

A spokesperson has cautioned visitors: "For your own safety, always stay well away from the cliff edges".

It is the latest in a series of warnings issued for the area after a crack appeared in the cliffs at nearby Beachy Head last month.

The spokesperson said: "It isn't safe to sit or stand close to the edge or base of the cliffs as they may be unstable or undercut in places and can fall without warning.

"We urge all visitors to be responsible and stay safe, by keeping back from the cliff edges and bases when visiting the area."

The trust said the coastline was constantly changing due to natural erosion processes which, over centuries, had shaped the cliffs at Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters.

More than 600,000 people visit Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters cliffs in East Sussex each year.

Earlier this month, the National Trust banned coaches from parking or dropping passengers off at Birling Gap because it said the terrain was unable to deal with the large number of people visiting.