Alert after cliff collapse caught on camera

Plea made after cliff collapse caught on camera

People have been urged to stay away from the edge and base of cliffs following a collapse along the East Sussex coast.

A video captured the moment a pile of rubble crashed on a beach near Birling Gap at about 17:45 BST on Tuesday.

HM Coastguard is now urging those visiting the coast to not stray from designated paths.

A spokesperson said: "The cliffs along the UK coastline are continually eroding, with pieces falling from them that can be just a few small rocks or as large as a car."

Dan Jessup An aerial shot of the rubble from the cliff by the algae-covered floor. The white cliff is behind it with grass on top.Dan Jessup
The cliff collapse near Birling Gap happened on Tuesday

They added: "It’s impossible to predict when the next piece might fall or how big it will be."

Those planning to be near the cliffs are told to tell someone where they are going and what time they will be home.

They are also being told to bring a fully-charged phone, and to not self-rescue themselves or a dog if they get into difficulty.

Following cliff collapses in March, Claire Dowling, East Sussex County Council's lead member for the environment, said: "Sadly, we continue to see people getting perilously close to the edge of the cliffs to take a selfie, or walking along the base of the cliffs without appreciating the danger they are putting themselves in."

Wealden District Council said it would be stepping up its coastal inspections following the "three small cliff falls and one very large one".

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