Devon cottage left on edge of cliff following serious landslip

The house on the UK's Jurassic Coast now faces a 400-foot drop into the sea

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Author: Rory GannonPublished 3rd Nov 2024

A house has been left just metres away from falling off the side of a cliff following a large landslip on the Jurassic Coast.

The home, based in Devon, is now 40-feet away from the edge of the Sidmouth Cliffs following the landslide.

Landslides are common on the coast, as waves from the sea crash onto the cliffs, weakening their strength and eventually leaded to erosion and collapse.

Tonnes of debris had fallen from the cliff at Jacob's Ladder Beach, situated between Sidmouth and Ladram Bay.

Local authority figures have since ordered the closure of the beach to minimise the damage to the coastal path.

Further activity resulted in the cliff face falling directly below the property, now leaving it metres away from a 400-foot drop to the ground.

Drone footage from the landslide showed the extent of the damage, as councillors warned that residents living near the property should avoid going onto the beach if possible.

"Following a cliff fall at Jacob's Ladder Beach in Sidmouth, we'd like to remind visitors to keep their distance from cliffs along the East Devon coastline," East Devon District Council warned in a social media post.

"Cliff falls are a natural and unpredictable occurrence along the East Devon coast.

"This is because the rock from which the cliffs are formed is soft, and therefore prone to rock falls, and landslides, which can happen at any time."

This is not the first time that the location has seen a landslide, as a similar collapse took place on Jacob's Ladder Beach last year.

There was also another landslide in a nearby location in 2022, after the hot weather caused cracks in the earth, which could not bear the weight.

The East Devon District Council reminded visitors to "stay well clear" of the cliffs when walking on the beach, with Coastguard advising that beach users put a distance equivalent to the heigh of the cliff between them and the cliff base.

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