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A cliff safety campaign has launched in East Sussex just time for the Easter holidays.

Wealden District Council (WDC) is behind the new campaign reminding people that cliff falls can happen at any time and visitors should stay well away from cliff edges and bases.

A spokesperson for WDC said, “Visitors are being warned not to gather at the base of cliffs for shade or if the rest of the beach is busy.

“Chalk can and does fall from above without warning, and you will be in danger of getting crushed or trapped. There have been at least 50 cliff falls in the last year – it happens more often than people think.”

Campaign launched to keep people safe on cliffs in East Sussex. Photo by Eddie Mitchell. SUS-220704-100425001

As well as this, if you’re walking on the clifftop, you can’t see cracks and overhangs beneath you. Chalk is very unstable and can crumble without warning.

The spokesperson said, “Warnings have also been issued about people taking selfies at the cliff edge. No photo is worth risking your life for.”

Cliff falls aren’t the only focus of this campaign. In the last year there have been a number of incidents of people getting cut off by the tide at the base of cliffs – they all had to be rescued by the coastguard.

Cliff fall warning: ‘You will be in danger of getting crushed or trapped’