Footpath closed after latest 'huge' cliff fall

A footpath has been closed following the latest in a series of recent "huge" cliff falls.

Beer Coastguard Rescue Team (BCRT) said it was called to the landslide at Salcombe Hill near Sidmouth in Devon, on Friday morning.

In a post on social media, it said permanent fencing was put up in the "very dangerous" area and warned "more cliff falls will happen soon".

Landowner the National Trust said has urged people to "stay well away from the area" and stick to the footpath diversion route which was a safe distance from the edge.

"We are monitoring the situation", it added.

BCRT described it as "another huge cliff fall this time East of Sidmouth".

It comes days after a significant rock fall on the Jurassic Coast left a house teetering close to the edge of a cliff.

BCRT said a drone team carried out checks along the coast for any further cliff falls which were not visible from the top.

Sidmouth lifeboat carried out a shoreline search to ensure nobody was stranded after the cliff falls.

Sam Scriven, principal officer for world heritage at the Jurassic Coast Trust, said rock falls and landslides seem to be "increasing in frequency".

"It sort of matches what we have been told to expect from the climate change trend," he said.

He said more storms and wet weather were a "key driver" for rock falls.

Mr Scriven said the size of rock falls depends on the cliff geology, adding different layers can "create a boundary of weakness".

"The top of the cliff can become very saturated and very heavy and sort of slide off and bring a lot of the cliff below with it," he said.

"I think that's what has happened in this latest one."

He warned rock falls were "unpredictable" and said people should avoid "lingering" below cliffs and should stay away from cliff edges.

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