22 May 2023 , 16:02
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A huge rockfall at one of the UK's most popular beaches has sparked a major emergency response amid fears beachgoers were trapped under the debris.
Coastguards received a flurry of 999 calls from members of the public and fishermen after the cliff at Broadchurch beach gave way on the coast at West Bay, Dorset, at 8.25pm on Sunday evening.
Photos taken earlier in the evening show dozens of holidaymakers enjoying the 66F sunshine sitting underneath the 150ft sandstone cliffs which are prone to collapse.
A local resident said they were walking in front of the cliffs moments before they collapsed.
Gavin Ball said: "It was really scary considering were had just walked along that part of the beach.
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"We were on West Cliff watching the sunset when there was this sound and the cliffs came thundering down.
A local resident said they were walking in front of the cliffs moments before they collapsed (Graham Hunt/BNPS)"They gave away so quickly and you would not have been able to run out of the way.
"You would have had no chance. It was horrendous."
Dorset Council said it would take several high tides to wash away the 'significant' rockfall and the beach will be inaccessible for the coming days.
They have urged beachgoers to obey the signs to stay away from the base of the cliffs.
Dorset Council said it would take several high tides to wash away the 'significant' rockfall (Graham Hunt/BNPS)People are also urged to keep their dogs on leads near the cliff top.
A Dorset Council spokesperson said: "In scale terms its not as large as previous slips but still significant enough to block the beach until we get a few more high tides to wash some away.
"The coast path is unaffected by this rockfall. The beach remains inaccessible and closures signs for the beach will remain in place until an assessment can be made in the coming days.
The beach will remain closed for the next few days (Graham Hunt/BNPS)"Rockfalls can, and do, happen at any time, but the heavy rain we saw on Friday could have been a contributing factor.
"The Jurassic Coast looks the way it does because of erosion - meaning it is always on the move.
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"It 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."