Foolish tourists risk their lives for selfies on the edge of 150ft cliff which regularly sees thousands of tonnes of rock falls
- A woman posed for a picture near the cliff edge at Seaford Head in east Sussex
Tourists were seen ‘risking their lives’ by posing for photographs near a 150ft high cliff edge.
Onlooker Philip Carter, 61, spoke of his shock as he noticed the group at Seaford Head in east Sussex.
He took a photo of a woman as she posed for a picture near the edge of the cliff, which is said to be cracked under where she stood.
‘Whilst down there I looked up at the cliffs and I noticed four people at the top,’ the operations manager from Horsham, west Sussex, said.
‘One of those, a young woman, was really close to the edge and I thought how could they be so stupid to risk their lives for a photograph.’
This woman is posing for a picture next to a 150 foot drop at Seaford Head in east Sussex
Phillip Carter has captured multiple groups walk out to the edge of the 50m high cliff
A warning sign at Seaford Head which tells people that standing too close to the cliff edge is dangerous
Mr Carter has captured multiple groups walk out to the edge of the 50m high cliff.
He was visiting the coast when he saw a woman walking towards the edge of the cliff as a friend took her picture.
Beneath the spot where the woman stood, cracks in the chalk cliff can be seen.
Each year thousands of tonnes of chalk fall from the cliffs, which stretch from Eastbourne to Seaford Head.
This erosion can happen without warning, posing a danger to those on the cliff top and people walking or sitting on the beach below.
East Sussex County Council has teamed up with organisations along the coast to urge people to take care.
Cllr Claire Dowling, the county council’s lead member for transport and environment, said: ‘We are incredibly lucky to have such a beautiful coastline in East Sussex, which attracts visitors from far and wide.
‘But the cliffs are extremely unstable and prone to regular chalk falls, putting visitors at risk if they don’t take care when on top of the cliffs or on the beach below.
‘We want people to be able to come to East Sussex and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, but to do so safely.’
A shocked onlooker took this picture of a woman as she posed for a friend right by the cliff edge
Beneath the spot where the friends are stood, cracks in the cliff can be seen
The RLNI advises people to be wary of all edges around the sea and waterside
Each year thousands of tonnes of chalk fall from the cliffs, which stretch from Eastbourne to Seaford Head (this picture is from 2018)
The RNLI does not condone the actions of the risk takers but does set out advice.
A spokesperson said: ‘The RNLI doesn’t condemn the actions of anyone who gets into the danger on the water or along our coastlines.
‘We’re here to offer safety advice to help everyone stay safe and have an enjoyable time when they visit the coast.’
The charity advises people to be wary of all edges around the sea and waterside, to stay well back from cliff edges and to keep dogs on short leads.
They also urge people to tell someone where they are going and when they expect to be back and to always make sure they have a way of calling for help.
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