The second slide at Durley Chine in 10 days almost claimed the life of a dog walker after the huts along the promenade were pushed across the path.
Video footage captured by Melissa Mahon shows a large portion of the cliff slowly move before gaining momentum, crashing into the ground and seven huts.
It’s believed the landslide was caused by the heavy rainfall overnight on Friday, October 19, similarly to the previous slide.
Watch the dramatic moment a man came inches from being wiped out by a beach hut after another landslide on Bournemouth beach.
BCP Council has cordoned off the path at Durley Chine. Several huts have been displaced and damaged @Bournemouthecho
📸 Melissa Mahon pic.twitter.com/QOKg8xzaoA
— Matt Simpson (@MattSimpsonEcho) October 19, 2024
A wider cordon was placed around the site by the police and BCP Council after the slide happened at around 9.30am.
The cordon was an extension to the existing one already put in place from October 9’s landslide.
Worried walkers reacted to the latest slide along the coast.
(Image: Daily Echo)
David Halliday, visiting Bournemouth, said: “Where you can see the landslide happened, you can see it’s soft and sandy. It looks like clay.
“And slides always seem to come down where the weighty trees were. Next to it is all grass and shrubbery and that hasn’t come down.”
His wife Lesley added: “If the soil is all wet and there has been heavy rain, it’s very easy for it to come down. We live in Australia and it happens a lot there.”
Georgina Humphries, visiting from Banbury, watched the footage and said it is “so scary for the poor bloke” who was nearly struck by a beach hut.
She added: “We’ve had so much rain lately, it was only a matter of time. You’ve got to feel for those with beach huts – they cost a fortune.”
Staffordshire-born Janet Cliff, out cycling along the promenade, added: “We’ve only lived here for five years and in that time the rain has increased a lot.
“It’s sad to see. Over at Canford Cliffs, they’ve put mesh there and all the stuff has grown over it but it’s stabilised it.”
Richard Herrett, cabinet member for destination at BCP Council, said: “Following further heavy rainfall, we can confirm that a cliff slip near Durley Chine took place at 9.45 this morning and has affected access to a number of beach huts and parts of the adjacent promenade.
“This is in the same area of the chine that experienced a cliff slip earlier this month and a wider section has been cordoned off in the interest of public safety while the site is inspected by the council’s flood and coastal erosion risk management team.
“We are informing the licensees of the beach huts and will provide updates once a further assessment has been carried out.”