Seaside homes left perched on cliff edge after landslide overnight
Filmmaker Paul Glenn described the scene as ‘shocking’ and said it ‘almost looked like a cartoon’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.This is the shocking scene as two stunning cliff-top homes were left perching 40 metres above the sea after a huge landslide struck overnight.
The owners face a nervous Christmas as their properties are threatened by a perilous plunge after tonnes of soil and sand tumbled down following heavy rainfall.
Drone footage shows the aftermath of the landslide in Mundesley, Norfolk, which happened in the early hours of Thursday.
Two homes are now within metres of the cliff edge, joining other properties that are under threat along the eroding coastline.
Filmmaker Paul Glenn described the scene as “shocking” and said it “almost looked like a cartoon”.
He added: “It’s shocking. It looks fake because the landslide is so big.
“We walk up that beach a lot and to see it covered in rubble is surreal.
“It’s something that’s happening more frequently than you’d like. Certainly, some areas are more susceptible than others.”
The entire width of Mundesley beach was blocked as chunks of land were strewn into the North Sea after the landslide.
Coastguard officials said that the erosion was due to heavy rainfall that had rendered the cliffs “unstable”.
Last January, holiday homeowners were forced to flee their caravans after a huge landslide along the same coastline near Trimingham, around three miles from Mundesley.
A report by North Norfolk council in 2014 stated that the cliffs at Mundesley are “among the most rapidly retreating cliffs of the UK” as they are comprised of “weak and unconsolidated glacial sediments”.
It added that heavy rainfall and wave action make the cliffs vulnerable to erosion.
The council has tried to defend the cliffs using measures such as concrete blocks and wooden barriers.
HM Coastguard Bacton said on Facebook: “Please be aware of our cliffs being unstable due to the recent rain.
“We have seen a substantial fall in Mundesley overnight, please do not go near the area.
“If you do see anything dangerous on the coast please call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
Mundesley Cliffs is a 29-hectare area marked as a site of special scientific interest due to its marine and freshwater deposits.
It is in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
SWNS
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments