Council warns beachgoers of unstable cliffs at popular North Devon beach

North Devon Council has warned beachgoers to take extra care following several cliff falls at Hele Bay in recent weeks.

The council has placed warning signs by the cliff to the right of the beach entrance after rock falls and landslips this summer.

It has warned beach users to be vigilant when visiting the beach and to stay away from the base of the cliffs.

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Hele is particularly popular with dog walkers and sea swimmers. While the cliffs themselves are not particularly high near the beach entrance, any falling rocks or material could still seriously injure anyone directly beneath them.

Above: Rocks and loose material have fallen from the cliffs to the rear of Hele beach on several occasions in recent months. Credit: NDC

A senior engineer at North Devon Council said: “The rock fall is one that we are aware of and have been monitoring for a few months. 

“The location is at the bottom of the beach on the right hand side (looking at the sea) and we have placed warning signs at the top of the slipway and close to the slip location. 

“Due to this area being underwater during high and receding tides, it is not something we will be stabilising in the immediate future and will continue to monitor.

“Due to the nature of coastal cliffs, it isn’t something we can control and a rock fall can happen at any time along the entire length of our coastline. At this time we want to reiterate to the public that sitting close to or under any cliff is not advisable.”

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