The height of stupidity! Hikers are spotted peering over an eroding cliff edge just 'hours' after rocks collapsed

Hikers were spotted peering over an eroding cliff edge just 'hours' after rocks collapsed. 

The shocking photos, which show the large group standing just a few meters from the edge of the rock face, were snapped by local Bev Trenwith between Lulworth and Weymouth in Dorset earlier this month.

The mother of three claimed that just 'hours' earlier there had been huge slabs of rock fall off the face of the cliff, with the boulders amassing below. 

Currently there are three diversions on the National Trail due to instances where the cliffs have broken off this year, and Ms Trenwith said that more concerningly she regularly sees parents let their children sit under the cliffs to get out of the wind.

In the background another hiker can be seen standing even closer to the edge as he looks across at the eroding coastline - only a couple of feet from the drop along the South West Coast Path.

The admin worker said she tried to warn the walkers about their risky position and highlighted the signs telling them to stay clear of the cliff edge but said they didn't listen.

She claims this left her feeling 'cross' and after returning from her jog uploaded photos of the eroding rocks to Facebook where users were quick to call out the hikers walking route.

Ms Trenwith said: 'I live in the area and I run the South West Coast path quite a bit and we have been noticing erosion for quite a while but [the rock fall] was pretty bad that day.

'Whenever the weather is bad and the ground dries out or freezes you get a lot of rock fall and I had noticed cracks for a while in the cliffs.

'We speak to so many people because we're from the area and despite their being so many signs up to tell people to stay away from the cliffs or not sit underneath them they don't listen.

'[On this day], one guy even stood on the edge and I told him to come back and he said he was fine.

'You don't get any warning [when the cliffs fall] they just go. It makes me cross [when they stand near the edge].

'There are signs everywhere but they don't seem to understand the risks and they are usually tourists that are not from the area.

'There is a path that is more inland which is safer for people to walk on and they will probably end up bringing the fence line back again.

'I have seen people put their kids under the cliffs to keep them out of the wind. It is so dangerous to sit your kids there.

'There are signs everywhere warning people about this and they completely ignore them.'

She said it's sad to see nature changing so quickly and fears that if people keep wandering too close to the edge the route may be closed indefinitely to keep walkers safe.

Ms Trenwith said: 'There are three diversions I am aware of on the route [because of cliff falls]. You can't predict when the cliff will fall either.

'The rainy weather has also made it a bit more perilous at the moment too. I'm gutted that the cliffs are eroding as it's the most beautiful place ever and it's changing rapidly.

'I worry that they might shut the paths off in the future if people keep not following the signs. I don't want the path closing.'

Facebook users were quick to call out the walker's behaviour with one syaing: 'Please keep well away from the edge. If you cannot find an inland alternative then return to your starting point.'

Another Facebook user said: 'Such a shame. Nature at its most formidable.'

while another user commented: 'Idiots everywhere eh!'

A third user: 'I've never known a year with so many falls, must be the wet winter. Will probably be lots more when things dry out.'

Another commented: 'I remember attempting to give a couple sitting in this exact spot, dangling their feet over the edge, a rudimentary geology lesson a couple of years ago. They didn't listen. Stay away from the edge, folks.'