Walkers risk lives on cliff edge in hot weather despite warnings
Tourists have been warned not to get close to the edge of Birling Gap, East Sussex, because of the crumbling chalk cliffs.
Tourists have been pictured standing perilously close to the edge of Birling Gap on England's south coast even after two recent cliff collapses nearby.
Birling Gap is part of the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs near Eastbourne, East Sussex, and visitors flock there, particularly when the weather is warm.
Hundreds of people were pictured there on Sunday, the hottest day of the year so far in the UK, with temperatures topping 27C.
But despite repeated warnings, visitors continue to veer close to the crumbling edge of the cliffs.
On Sunday, people could be seen standing on the edge or dangling their feet over the side.
In February, there were two separate cliff collapses along the coast at nearby Seaford Head and Peacehaven, when huge sections of rock broke off.
Councils and the coastguard have launched a campaign to warn people of the dangers of walking along the crumbling chalk cliffs at Birling Gap, as many areas of the UK are seeing the devastating impact of coastal erosion.
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East Sussex County Council said: "There have been some worrying photographs on social media in recent weeks showing people sitting or standing dangerously close to cliff edges.
"As well as the risk of falling over the edge, there is a hidden and serious danger – the chalk cliffs are extremely unstable, with many unseen overhangs and cracks which you can’t see when you’re walking on the top. This means that big chunks can fall off without warning, taking with them anyone standing near the edge."
The National Trust, which owns Birling Gap, says on its website: "The Seven Sisters chalk cliffs are constantly changing. This creates the iconic coastline that you see today.
"Cliff falls and landslides are therefore part of this landscape and can happen at any time and without warning. Our white cliffs are beautiful but also very fragile. They may appear safe to stand on, but chalk is a soft rock that can be become unstable through heavy rain, frost, sun or undercut by wind and wave action."
The highest temperature in the UK so far this year of 27.5C was recorded at Chertsey, Surrey, on Sunday.
What will be the impact of coastal erosion by 2100?
The One Home charity aimed at tackling climate change says there are 21 communities in England that are most at risk of coastal erosion in the next 75 years.
These include seaside villages in Cornwall, Cumbria, Dorset, East Yorkshire, Essex, Kent, the Isle of Wight, Northumberland, Norfolk and Sussex.
In all, a total of 2,218 properties - worth about £584m - are at risk of cliff collapses or landslides by 2100.
A separate report published in March by sustainable construction company Aggregate Industries said that 1.35 million properties are at risk of flooding caused by coastal erosion by 2100.
That flooding will also impact six heritage sites, 92 railway stations and 1,000 miles of major roads.