Second massive rockfall in 48 hours on Jurassic Coast poses danger to holidaymakers

Aerial photos show boulders the size of double-decker buses resting on top of a 50ft pile of debris – Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images Europe

A second massive rockfall has occurred on the Jurassic Coast in 48 hours amid fears that the cliffs could be dangerous for holidaymakers unaware of the risks.

Thousands of tons of rock broke away from the 140ft cliff at Burton Bradstock in Dorset on Tuesday afternoon.

Aerial photos show boulders the size of double-decker buses resting on top of a 50ft pile of debris that has blocked the popular beach.

The rockfall in the aftermath of Storm Kathleen follows Monday’s early morning 600-ton rockfall a mile along the beach at West Bay, where the ITV crime drama Broadchurch was filmed.

Locals warned that a major collapse was imminent after images taken at the same spot on Monday showed the exposed bottom of the cliffs from where the beach had been washed away.

At the top, the popular South West Coast Path is now only three yards away from the sheer drop after a large chunk of land was taken out of the cliff.

There are safety signs warning people to stay clear of the cliffs at both the top and the bottom, but these are often ignored by tourists who are photographed in their shadow.

The rockfall occurred in the aftermath of Storm Kathleen – Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images Europe

One local said: “There has been a huge rock fall at Burton Bradstock on Hive beach.

“I’ve lived in Dorset since 2019 and holidayed in west Dorset since 2009 and I have never, ever seen a rock fall to this magnitude – it is huge.

“It’s horrifying as it’s obviously holiday season and so many people are unaware of the risks and continue to walk under the cliffs.”

Monday’s rockfall took a large bite out of the land at the top and brought one of the fairways of the Bridport and West Dorset Golf Club closer to the precipice.

Another rockfall occurred on March 29 after heavy waves whipped up by Storm Nelson pounded the base of the sandstone cliffs.

And in January, a combined 1,000 tons of rock broke away from the cliffs following winter storms.

The cliffs are made up of sandstone rock that is porous and acts like a sponge with rainwater, which seeps down through it and weakens it over time.

At the same time, strong waves whipped up by winter storms batter the base of the cliffs that also contribute to destabilising them.

Consequence of global warming

Richard Edmonds, a geologist, believes that the rockfalls are a consequence of global warming.

He said that the base of the cliffs are being constantly attacked by powerful waves creating “massive overhangs” at risk of collapse.

He said: “We are experiencing extreme weather both in terms of the waves and rainfall.

“A warmer atmosphere carries more water and more energy, and that’s what drives storms. The energy in the atmosphere is transferred into wind and rain.

“Because there is so little beach at West Bay the sea undermines the base of the cliffs so the more powerful the waves are, the more it is undermined.

“That has created these massive overhangs and this illustrates the continuing dangers of the cliffs.”

A Dorset council spokesman said: “Rockfalls and landslips can happen at any time. If people are out on the coast then they should take notice of warning signs and keep to existing paths and stay away from the edge and the base of cliffs.”

In 2012, Charlotte Blackman, a holidaymaker, was crushed to death by a rockfall further up the beach at Burton Bradstock.

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