Tourists risking life for perfect photo at 150-foot cliff edge

By Alice Clifford via SWNS

Perched on the edge of a cliff, this woman is dicing with death for a picture next to a 150-foot drop.

A shocked onlooker took this picture of the woman as she posed for a friend right by the cliff edge at Seaford Head in east Sussex, England which is cracked under where she stood.

Philip Carter, 61, has captured multiple groups walk out to the edge of the 50m (164 feet) high cliff.

He was visiting the coast when he was shocked to see a woman walking towards the edge of the cliff as a friend took her picture.

The operations manager from Horsham, west Sussex, said: “Whilst down there I looked up at the cliffs and I noticed four people at the top.

“One of those, a young woman, was really close to the edge and I thought how could they be so stupid to risk their lives for a photograph.”

Beneath the spot where the woman stood, cracks in the chalk cliff can be seen.

Each year thousands of tonnes of chalk fall from the cliffs, which stretch from Eastbourne to Seaford Head.

This erosion can happen without warning, posing a danger to those on the cliff top and people walking or sitting on the beach below.

East Sussex County Council has teamed up with organizations along the coast to urge people to take care.

Cllr Claire Dowling, the county council’s lead member for transport and environment, said: “We are incredibly lucky to have such a beautiful coastline in East Sussex, which attracts visitors from far and wide.

“But the cliffs are extremely unstable and prone to regular chalk falls, putting visitors at risk if they don’t take care when on top of the cliffs or on the beach below.

“We want people to be able to come to East Sussex and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, but to do so safely.”

The RNLI does not condone the actions of the risk takers but does set out advice.

A spokesperson said: “The RNLI doesn’t condemn the actions of anyone who gets into the danger on the water or along our coastlines.

“We’re here to offer safety advice to help everyone stay safe and have an enjoyable time when they visit the coast.”

The charity advises people to be wary of all edges around the sea and waterside, to stay well back from cliff edges and to keep dogs on short leads.

They also urge people to tell someone where they are going and when they expect to be back and to always make sure they have a way of calling for help.