A COASTAL landslide has left residents convinced they are living on a ticking time bomb.

The recent loss of around six feet of land from a Weymouth cliff-top comes after a shock study claimed that up to 40 homes could be cut off in 20 years’ time.

The two-stage landslide is the first that elderly couple Ralph and Heather Cradick have seen in the 15 years they have been living in Old Castle Road.

It leaves the couple’s bungalow around 20 feet from the edge of the cliff – which overlooks Portland Harbour’s north west shoreline.

Part of a patio at the end of the couple’s garden, a neighbour’s shed, wooden platform and steps leading down to Castle Cove beach have all toppled over the edge.

Mrs Cradick, 81, said: “I first noticed something was wrong when I saw more daylight at the bottom of the garden.

“Both of the falls happened within a week and this is the first time we’ve seen any of the land move like this.”

Mr Cradick, also 81, said: “If we were younger we’d be concerned about what might happen to this house over the next few years.

“This won’t make a great difference to us, but will have an effect on our children who will inherit this house from us.”

The Weymouth and Portland Borough Council study, produced in September 2008, showed that properties in Belle Vue Road, Old Castle Road and those close to the Rodwell Trail are at risk from erosion over the next century.

The council is working on a shoreline management policy, which is expected to be completed by spring 2010.

The policy – based on the study of natural coast processes – has consulted organisations such as Defra, the Environment Agency and English Nature.

Richard Edmonds, earth sciences manager for the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, said: “Some people have lived in these houses for 40 or 50 years and I sympathise with the residents.

“The irony is that these homes have such lovely views of a beautiful, eroding coastline.

“The reason why the coast is so famous and important is because of the fossils which are exposed by erosion.

“There’s a real conflict between preserving the beauty of the shoreline and people and their property.”

The borough council’s corporate director of environment, Richard Burgess, said the council has secured funding from the Environment Agency to carry out detailed research of the Old Castle Road stretch of coast.

He added: “We will update residents as soon as we know if the study undertaken last year will initiate a change to the Shoreline Management Plan.

“If a resident does experience this kind of problem on their own land they should contact the council – we can offer advice on how to best deal with the issue, and feed it into our research.”