Jurassic Coast: Warnings after latest rockfall at Hive Beach

The council warned more rock could fall following the initial collapse

A large rockfall on Dorset's Jurassic Coast remains unstable, a council has warned.

A large section of cliff came down on Hive Beach near the village of Burton Bradstock on Thursday morning.

Dorset Council said it was assessing the beach and coastal path following the fall and warned more rock could come down.

It is the third major rockfall at the beach this year after collapses in March and August.

A smaller landslip at Hengistbury Head, near Bournemouth, has led to a 500m (1,600ft) section of beach around the headland being closed.

Pictures of the latest fall on Hive Beach showed a large portion of the cliff slipped down on to the beach below, about 100m (330ft) west of the Hive Beach Cafe.

The beach was busy at the time but no injuries were reported

A Dorset Council statement said: "This fall is unstable and warning signs have been placed on the beach.

"People should stay away from the fall, because there is an amount of rock that is expected to fall on to the beach soon."

As the beach was busy at the time, there were concerns people could have been trapped under the rocks, however, the council said there had been no reports of missing persons.

The yellow sandstone cliffs on the beach are up to 20m, 70ft, high and are among the most well-known sights on the Unesco World Heritage Site.

Another large section came down shortly before the August bank holiday, and an overhanging part of the cliff fell and blocked the beach in March.

The coastal path at the location of the rockfall has been closed for some time and due to previous falls and has been re-routed inland through National Trust land.

The Jurassic Coast Trust posted on social media: "Once again, we are reminded that cliff falls can occur at any time without warning.

"Please be safe, stay away from the edge of cliffs and follow all safety notices on the beaches along the Jurassic Coast."