A man holding young child has been pictured standing dangerously close to the edge of a ‘very fragile’ cliff on the East Sussex coast.
Photos taken today at the Beachy Head cliff by Birling Gap, a famous landmark in the South Downs National Park, show the man peering over the brink holding a little girl.
At 530 feet, it is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain offering breathtaking views which attract tourists and locals, especially when the weather warms up as it has this weekend.
The man, wearing grey trousers and a navy jacket, is seen smiling on the edge of the precipice as he holds a young girl in a grey jacket, black trousers and pink boots.
Another man, pictured in a black coat and jeans, was photographed holding a baby in a striped hoodie with a little boy leaning over the crag as they looked at the views.
A third image shows three women standing perilously close to the unstable edge with one using a camera to take pictures of the view and the other two on their phones.
Coastguards have repeatedly warned members of the public to keep away from the Beachy Head cliff edge and to stay away from the cliff base as it is prone to chalk falls.
Geologists have previously warned cracks can stretch back 10m (33ft) to 15m (49ft) into the cliffs.
The man, wearing grey trousers and a navy jacket, is seen smiling on the edge of the precipice as he holds a young girl in a grey jacket, black trousers and pink boots
Another man, pictured in a black coat and jeans, was photographed holding a baby in a striped hoodie with a little boy leaning over the crag as they looked at the views
A third image shows three women standing perilously close to the unstable edge with one using a camera to take pictures of the view and the other two on their phones
At 530 feet, Beachy Head is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain offering breathtaking views which attract tourists and locals, especially when the weather warms up as it has this weekend
In 2017, 50,000 tonnes of chalk crumbled at the nearby Seven Sisters cliffs and fell onto the beach below.
And Beachy Head itself has seen two major landslides, one in 1999 and the other in 2001 with the latter destroying the landmark known as the Devil’s Chimney.
In 2021, erosion caused by wet weather saw tonnes of chalk fall from the cliff on to the beach below, cutting off an access path to the Belle Tout lighthouse.
The National Trust describes the Beachy Head cliff as ‘very fragile’ and advises people to stay at least 5m back from the edge at all times.
A warning on the South Downs National park website states: ‘Please take notice of warning signs.
‘Rock falls can happen at any time and there are overhangs and faults that you can’t see from the cliff tops.
‘Use your common sense and keep a safe distance from cliff edges and the cliff face when on the beach.
‘If you see anyone in danger or witness someone who has fallen, do not to attempt to rescue them. Dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.’
