Holiday homes left clinging to the edge of cliff after huge landslide the size of two football pitches plunges into sea
A DRAMATIC landslide the size of two football pitches triggered by torrential rain has left holiday homes on the brink of plunging into the sea.
Aerial photos show how caravans at Trimingham House Caravan Park, in North Norfolk, are on the edge of danger after the cliffside crashed onto the beach on January 6.
The coastguard confirmed that only one of the caravans at the park was being used at the time by a woman and her child, and they were both led to safety.
Officials have urged residents to stay away from the beach, which lies about five miles east of Cromer.
Tony Garbutt, coastguard sector commander in North Norfolk, said: “There was only one person who was occupying a caravan who was in danger and she was removed safely with her child
“We then removed all her belongings to render that safe and then we went about making the site safe so we disconnected utilities and there are about six caravans that really need to be pulled back from the cliff over the next two to three days.”
The landslide was caused by a build up of water in the cliff after heavy rain last month, the coastguards said.
Mr Garbutt said the water seeps into the sandy earth making the the cliff unstable before gravity takes over.
People have now been warned to steer clear of the beach in case more of the cliff falls over the next few weeks.
Mr Garbutt said: "The cliff as it is at the moment is still unstable so there is still movement there and the next two to three days will tell us if there is going to be any further movement.
“Some of the cliff that has fallen is still moving down the side of the cliff. The biggest problem is the soil which has been deposited on the beach is made up of sand and a lot of silt and when you mix that with water that becomes very sticky.
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“So the safety message to the public would be please don’t clamber all over it as you can get yourself into danger.”
It is the second landslip along the stretch of coast in a month.
Trimingham House Caravan Park is spread over 23 acres and has 180 static caravans and holiday homes.
