COASTGUARDS have issued a warning urging “selfie culture” walkers to stay away from a cliff edge as shocking images show how the rocks have eroded.
The Birling Gap Coastguard has urged the public to stay back from the Birling Gap cliff edge in South Essex over the area’s serious danger to life.
Walkers face high risks when approaching the cliff edge due to erosion of the cliff face which is not visible whilst standing above the area.
This means that walkers seeking a snap of the popular beauty spot can be completely unaware that “they are effectively standing on nothing.”
The Birling Gap Coastguard posted to Facebook on Saturday urging walkers to be cautious on the cliff face, writing: “These photos show why we recommend not standing by the cliff edge.
“What you can’t see from above are the cave-like collapses meaning you are effectively standing on nothing.
“This along with cracks, both externally and deeper within the structure could collapse at any moment.
“Please stay well clear from cliff edges and bases!”
The post now holds over 100 likes with Facebook users acknowledging the dangers that the cliff edge poses.
Steve Parsons wrote: “I’ve been warning people about this for years.”
Charmaine Briggs Payten said: “I was just going to say about Beachy Head, I went there a few years ago and it looked very shaky then…”
Paul Burgess commented : “That’s coming down soon.”
Siena Chipol replied: “What if there was a hole into the cliff and the grass just broke and you fell down in the middle of it.”
The lethal nature of the cliffs were shown last Wednesday when a body of a man was found at the foot of cliffs at Beachy Head.
The man was believed to have fallen from the top of the cliff and was found dead later that morning.
Sadly, death is not uncommon to the beautiful East Sussex coastline with multiple media outlets and coastguards having urged visitors to take maximum precautions when visiting the cliffs.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said last month that one of its “biggest problems” is “tackling the ‘selfie culture’ where people take risks to get a dramatic photograph of themselves on a dangerous cliff edge”.
The spokesperson added: “No selfie or photograph is worth risking your life for.”
