Parking spaces near Somerset's Cheddar Gorge to be removed

The risk of rocks falling has been described as a major safety concern for the public

A number of parking spaces will be removed from a tourist spot in Somerset as new safety measures are implemented.

The B3135 Cliff Road runs through Cheddar Gorge, connecting the village to numerous settlements within the Mendip Hills Area of Natural Beauty.

A new embankment will be built on its car park between High Rock and Arch Rock to protect people from rock falls.

There are currently 37 parking spaces, but this will be cut by nine to make space for the new safety feature.

The embankment - known as a bund - will be constructed out of 300 tonnes (300,000 kg) of rock, which is already on site following rock safety work carried out in this section of the gorge.

Longleat Estates applied in March to build the bund on its car park, which has now been approved by Somerset Council.

A new bund will be built on the car park between High Rock and Arch Rock

A spokesman representing Longleat Estates said: "The existing lay-by area and road is not fully protected from falling rocks at the foot of the cliff, and this has proven to be a major safety concern for the public and for road users.

"As the land naturally gullies down towards this lay-by, with it being the location of steep cliff faces, falling rocks from the cliffs navigate into the site.

"This therefore creates a hazardous and high-risk point."

The spokesman said there was alternative parking available along the gorge and that more parking is currently being allocated at the bottom of the gorge.

Longleat Estate has not confirmed how soon construction of the new bund will begin.