Woman struck by falling rock near West Bay

A woman's been struck on the face by a falling rock near East Cliff, West Bay.

It's prompting warnings from the coastguard to take care around cliffs, which can fall unpredictably.

The lady had been out for a walk on the beach near East Cliff, but was struck on the head by what was thought to have been a small item of debris from the cliff face.

Both the West Bay and Lyme Regis Coastguard Rescue teams as well as the South Western Ambulance service were all tasked to the scene.

On arrival, Coastguard Officers provided initial first aid and then assisted the lady to the waiting ambulance for onward care and assessment.

Officers then walked down the beach to the area where the incident happened to inspect the cliffs.

Whilst there was no evidence of any substantial cliff debris on the beach, multiple areas of loose material were spotted on the cliff face.

Just a small stone dislodging and falling to the beach from any of this loose material could have caused the head injury suffered by the lady.

Members of the public in the area were given further safety advice and the team was then stood down to return to station.

A spokesperson for West Bay Coastguard Rescue Team said:

"The Jurassic Coast is a beautiful place to come and visit, but it is also an ever changing and dynamic natural environment.

"Coastal erosion that can cause rock falls, landslides and mudslides is a natural part of this environment, and these can happen at any time and without warning.

"The truth is that we just don’t know when the next cliff fall might occur… It could be in the next 50 Seconds or the next 50 Years.

"It’s the unpredictability of these dangers which poses the greatest risk to the public, however there are some really simple things you can do to keep you and your family safe."

The coastguard is issuing this advice for visitors:

• Read all of the local signage and safety information.

• When walking on the cliff top path, keep well away from the edge of the cliff, keep your dog on a lead and keep your children close by.

• When walking on the beach under the cliffs, the Coastguard recommend that the height of the cliff is the distance you should stay away from it. For example if the cliff is 50ft high, then you should stay a minimum of 50ft away from the base of the cliff.

• If you find yourself in difficulty, or if you see something that gives you cause for concern then do not hesitate. Dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.

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