SHEER MADNESS
Moment ‘idiot’ base-jumpers throw themselves off 150-ft high Broadchurch cliffs into crowded beach
Quartet spark panic among families enjoying visit to West Bay, Dorset on Sunday
THIS is the moment a basejumper hurls himself off the famous Broadchurch cliffs onto the crowded beach below.
He was part of a quartet of thrill-seekers who sparked panic among families enjoying a visit to West Bay, Dorset on Sunday lunchtime.
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Three of the group took turns to leap from the edge of the 150ft drop while one held onto their parachutes as they took their run-up.
Members of the public reported falling debris as the jumpers plunged to the ground at 25ft-a-second.
Police and coastguard were alerted but when they arrived the gang had gathered their equipment and fled the area.
Witness Tim Booth, who was on the beach, said: "I had just come out of the sea when I spotted what I thought were the usual idiots stood at the top of the cliff.
"Then one of them jumped and very quickly I saw the parachute behind him.
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"They had helmets on so I realised very quickly they hadn't fallen.
"It was all very quick because it is such a low place to basejump from.
"The beach was really busy and I saw one canopy land on someone lying on the beach."
A spokesman for West Bay Coastguard said "The whole team was paged to reports of three basejumpers jumping from East Cliff onto the crowded beach below.
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"Due to the lower altitudes of the jumps, the practice is considered much more dangerous than skydiving, the cliff is only 150ft high which allows for only a small margin of error when deploying a parachute.
"Multiple calls to the police and coastguard were received from members of the public on the beach who were greatly concerned for the welfare of the jumpers but also for the people on the beach.
"Falling debris and rocks were also reported as the jumpers launched from the edge.
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"Basejumping itself is not illegal in this country but there can be associated offenses involved including trespassing on private property to achieve the jump and these matters are dealt with by the police.
"In this instance there was more of a safety concern for the jumpers launching from such a low altitude, the safety of the beachgoers below and the state of the cliffs.”
The 180-million-year-old sandstone cliffs form part of Britain's World Heritage Jurassic Coast but they are prone to regular and sudden rockfalls.
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