Thousands of tons of rocks plunged onto a beach just yards from holidaymakers.
The huge cliff fall threw up a billowing cloud of dust. Unstable rocks fell onto the sand.
Beachgoers – including families with young children – were sat on the shoreline close by. Signs warning of the danger have been put on the popular beach but these were reportedly ignored by some people.
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Luckily nobody was hit by the fall at Jacob’s Ladder beach, Sidmouth, Devon on Saturday 24 Aug).
Eyewitness Hans-Petter Bjørnestad who was visiting from Copenhagen, Denmark said it made a noise like thunder.
“I heard two loud booms immediately after each other, “ he told Need To Know.
“It sounded like thunder or booming thuds.
“I was 200m to 300m or so away at Connaught Gardens.
“I vist there quite often as my wife is from Sidmouth.
“Cliff falls happen quite frequently – another small one occurred on Sunday.
“There were people beyond the warning signs on the beach on Saturday.
“Generally I think locals take the danger and the warnings quite seriously.
“But there are a lot of tourists around.
“This weekend it was the regatta so it was pretty crowded.”
A spokesperson for East Devon District Council – the authority that covers Sidmouth – had previously warned that the cliffs “pose a very real danger” and urged visitors to exercise caution.
They said: “Saturday’s cliff falls in the Sidmouth area serves as a serious reminder of getting too close to our cliffs.
“Whilst we all love the beauty of nature, cliffs are unpredictable and accidents can happen in an instance.
“Please for your safety maintain a safe distance from cliffs along our shorelines.
“Let’s enjoy our beautiful beaches but stay safe this bank holiday weekend.”
The cliffs at Sidmouth are known for their instability.
In March coastal scientist Vicky Walkley issued advice after seeing another cliff fall.
She said climate change including rising sea levels and wetter winters were likely to accelerate the rates of cliff erosion and it was important that everyone was aware of the risks when visiting the coast.
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