Shocking photo shows person sat dangerously close to edge at Seaford Head

Not only that, the individual appears to be sitting on a section of cliff that has an enormous crack in it, in a photograph captured by Sid Saunders yesterday (Wednesday).

This comes after a series of major cliff falls at that spot just months previously. Thousands of tonnes of chalk tumbled onto the beach below in the summer, prompting a search operation as emergency services checked no one had been hurt.

At the time, authorities warned the public repeatedly not to get too close to the edge or beneath the cliffs, as the chalk can crumble at any time.

The UK Coastguard said, “I cannot stress enough that this rock fall clearly shows how unstable cliff edges can be, so please keep your distance from cliff edges, at both the top and the bottom of the cliffs, at all times.”

And Mark Rodway OBE, Maritime Commander, said, “We are warning beach goers and coastal walkers to exercise caution in the Seaford cliffs area and keep away from the areas that have now been cordoned off.

“It’s impossible to predict when the next piece might fall or how big it will be. It’s very clear that cliffs are unstable in places and we really can’t stress enough how important it is to keep back from the edge.

“There is no ‘safe’ place to be.

“Don’t be tempted to go and investigate recent cracks or falls and don’t risk going to the edge to get a dramatic photo.

“One of our biggest problems is the ‘selfie-culture’ where people take great risks to get a dramatic photograph of themselves on a dangerous cliff edge – no selfie is worth risking your life for.”

Anyone who gets into difficulty on a cliff is advised to call 999 and ask for the coastguard.