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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Dorset coast path collapse: 'Massive' cliff fall near Durdle Door | Dorset coast path collapse: 'Massive' cliff fall near Durdle Door |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A section of the South West Coast Path in Dorset has been destroyed by a massive landslip. | A section of the South West Coast Path in Dorset has been destroyed by a massive landslip. |
| Portland Coastguard said the cliff fall happened overnight at St Oswald's Bay, east of Durdle Door. | Portland Coastguard said the cliff fall happened overnight at St Oswald's Bay, east of Durdle Door. |
| A coastguard spokesman said: "It is huge - a massive fall has taken out part of the cliff. It is rather extraordinary." | A coastguard spokesman said: "It is huge - a massive fall has taken out part of the cliff. It is rather extraordinary." |
| The path has been sealed off by council workers. People have been advised to keep clear of the affected area. | The path has been sealed off by council workers. People have been advised to keep clear of the affected area. |
| A spokesman for the Lulworth Estate which owns the land called it a "substantial" landslip. | A spokesman for the Lulworth Estate which owns the land called it a "substantial" landslip. |
| Nick Kelly said the estate would co-operate with the county council in re-routing the coast path away from the area of the cliff fall. | Nick Kelly said the estate would co-operate with the county council in re-routing the coast path away from the area of the cliff fall. |
| He said cliffs along the Dorset coast were in a "fragile" state due to wet weather over the past 12 months, followed by recent dry conditions. | He said cliffs along the Dorset coast were in a "fragile" state due to wet weather over the past 12 months, followed by recent dry conditions. |
| "Visitors should exercise awareness of their surroundings and pay attention to warning signs when walking near the cliffs," he added. | "Visitors should exercise awareness of their surroundings and pay attention to warning signs when walking near the cliffs," he added. |
| However the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Twitter account later posted a photograph of people still walking along the path, with the caption: "What do you think they are doing on the edge of a collapsed cliff? There's a reason we give advice." | |
| 'Unusually large' | |
| Jurassic Coast manager Sam Rose said 20m (65ft) of the coast path had fallen away, | |
| "The rock has fanned out on the beach so it looks rather spectacular. It is an unusually large fall for this area." | |
| Earlier this month several landslips happened at nearby White Nothe and a section of cliff came down on Swanage beach just before Christmas. | Earlier this month several landslips happened at nearby White Nothe and a section of cliff came down on Swanage beach just before Christmas. |
| Dr Simon Boxall of the University of Southampton described the latest landslip as "awesome" and said it was likely the fall happened "in one sudden go". | |
| "It is a relief this didn't happen during a busy weekend. There would have been very little warning anything was going to happen. | |
| "It's very difficult to predict where and when these landslips are going to happen," he said. |