Sidmouth has hit the headlines after some of its most dramatic cliff falls in recent weeks. Unbelievable photos showed a house precariously close to the edge while an enormous pile of rubble lies on the beach below it. And just yesterday part of a public footpath crumbled away.
While shocking, cliff falls have been baked into the town's identity. Many may remember watching as a shed belonging to resident of Cliff Road tumbled onto the beach in 2017. Speaking to DevonLive last year the owner of the shed Paul Griew recalled how he initially feared that his gardener may have been inside it.
"My gardener used to have his bonfire there and he had one there half an hour before [the summerhouse] went," said Paul. "The first thing I did was go and make sure his car had gone and he hadn't actually been standing there." He went on to to explain that when he initially bought the house, the rate of erosion meant that it would be 300 to 1,000 years before the edge reached the house.
But he said the rate appeared to have increased "ten times", meaning that there could just be 30 years left before his entire garden crumbled. ⚠️ Want the latest Devon breaking news and top stories first? Click here to join our WhatsApp group . We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
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