Rockfall crashes onto Devon beach, nearly hitting sunbathers
The terrifying crash cut off some beachgoers who were there at the time, and a lifeboat was launched to rescue them. Eyewitness James Walters describes seeing 'thousands of tons' of rock come down. He said: 'Police, lifeboat and coastguards were there. I don't think anybody was injured, but they had to close the coast path.'
A spokesperson from Sidmouth Lifeboat said: 'Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat was tasked by Solent Coastguard after a significant cliff collapse at Budleigh Beach. The crew's primary objective was to search for anyone caught in the fall zone and to support Beer and Exmouth Coastguard teams already on scene.'
This comes almost a year after dramatic cliff fall just a few miles at Jacob's Ladder beach, in Sidmouth, also threw up a billowing cloud of dust, forcing terrified beachgoers to run into the sea to escape the landslip in August last year. Families with young children had been sunbathing on the shoreline close by when the cliff collapsed, but thankfully no one was injured by the fall.
Warning signs had already been put up at prior to the terrifying incident. Images of the collapse showed the moment people close to the impact were forced to scramble in a bid to get to safety. Two people were seen running into the sea to avoid the catastrophe.
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