A major rockfall has occurred at West Bay on the coast of Dorset in southern England, blocking passage along the beach between Freshwater and West Bay. The rockfall was first noticed on the morning of Monday 30 December, with the event presumably happening at some time the night before. Dorset Council are warning people to keep away from the debris left by the rockfall, as there is a significant danger of further falls around the same point, and the height and steepness of the cliffs at West Bay mean that falling debris present a very serious threat to the lives of anybody in their way.
The cliffs at West Bay form part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, a 150 km stretch of the coast of Dorset and Devon, noted for its geological splendour, and in particular the many sites where it is possible, and relatively easy, to collect fossils. Because rockfalls frequently expose new fossil material, they are often attractive to (sometimes over-intrepid) fossil-hunters, however, the rocks at West Bay seldom, if ever, produce any fossils, whilst rockfalls there present a serious danger of death.
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