COASTGUARDS rushed to West Bay to stop three families with young children climbing over the debris of a recent rockfall.

West Bay Coastguard was called to East Beach at 2.30pm on Tuesday (25) after the RNLI lifeguards reported that families were putting themselves at risk by climbing on the recent cliff fall on the beach.

Jake Lanning, rescue officer at West Bay Coastguard, said: "Three rescue officers from the West Bay team including the team's station officer and deputy station officer, quickly responded to the station, picked up their equipment and the team's vehicle and headed for East Beach.

"On arrival, three families including small children were found to be climbing on the rock fall looking for fossils amongst the unstable rubble.

"Strong safety advice was given to the parents who thanked us and swiftly removed their children from the area."

He added: "The current state of the fall includes large boulders and rocks littered around the unstable fall.

"With all of the recent heavy rain washing away the sandstone and mud, it would not take a great deal of force for one of these boulders to be dislodged and cause injury, especially to a child."