'Please, for your own safety and the safety of your loved ones, stay well away from the cliff fall,' is the impassioned plea from the coastguard after a family was spotted recklessly posing for pictures on top of the remains of a huge rockfall.

The family, including small children, were seen clambering upon rocks and debris left by last Tuesday's cliff collapse at East Beach, West Bay, on Sunday.

The man and woman ignored warning signs urging people to stay away from the perilous cliffs and let their four children climb up the 40ft mountain of rock.

At one point, the mother stood on the beach and took a photograph of the youngsters and her partner walking across the rockfall.

Steve Bennett, 52, from Sherborne, captured the startling images.

West Bay Coastguard Rescue Team - called to the original incident - saw the photos of the family on social media and issued a heartfelt plea for the public to stay away.

A spokesman for the team said: "After a number of hours at the scene, using multiple search techniques including heat sensing cameras, sniffer dogs and infra-red, the emergency services concluded that there was no immediate evidence that someone had been caught in the cliff fall.

"After reviewing video footage supplied by the Environment Agency the following day, it was clear that a number of walkers who were on the beach at the time of the fall had a very close call - and were very lucky indeed to have escaped unscathed.

"Engineers have since inspected the area and have advised members of the public to stay well away from the cliff fall, the base and edge of the cliffs, and to observe all of the local warning signs for their own safety. It is, of course, then a worry when pictures like this emerge of people putting themselves and their families at risk, despite all of warnings and public information available.

"Please, for your own safety and the safety of your loved ones, stay well away from the cliff fall and the base of the cliffs, which may still be unstable due to the recent bad weather.

"Cliff falls can happen at any time and without warning and the truth is that we just don’t know if the next fall will take place in the next five minutes or five years. Our coastline is a stunning but ever-changing natural environment. Coastal erosion, including cliff falls, landslides and mudslides, are all a part of this environment and we want you all to stay safe, and only take home happy memories."

Advice is to:

  • Stay well away from the base of the cliffs, the cliff edge, and never climb the cliffs or on recent rockfalls as the debris could be unstable as could the surrounding cliffs.
  • Read the local warning signs, use good judgement and have a fantastic visit to the coast.
  • If you find yourself in difficulty or if you see something which gives you cause for concern dial 999 and ask for the coastguard

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