What was meant to be a peaceful day at the beach turned into a heart-stopping moment for holidaymakers in Devon when the cliffs at Budleigh Salterton suddenly gave way.
Tons of rock came crashing down without warning, sending clouds of red dust billowing into the air and cutting off access for some people relaxing on the beach.
Massive Rockfall Catches Everyone Off Guard
The dramatic incident happened on Saturday, and it’s nothing short of a miracle that no one was hurt.
As the cliff collapsed, stones tumbled down with a thunderous roar. Witnesses said it felt like the ground was shaking.
Beachgoers were stunned as the huge wall of debris came down just meters from where they’d been sunbathing.
Eyewitness James Walters, who saw the whole thing unfold, described it as a massive wall of rock collapsing.
“Thousands of tons came down,” he said.
“Police, lifeboat and coastguard teams rushed in. They closed off the coastal path pretty quickly.”
Lifeboat Team Launches Rescue Operation
In the chaos that followed, some people found themselves stranded on the wrong side of the collapse.
The Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat was dispatched by Solent Coastguard to assist.
Their main job? Make sure no one had been caught in the fall zone and help those stuck behind the debris.
When they arrived, lifeboat crew found several people cut off by the rockfall.
Fortunately, two of them were safely transported back to the main beach at Budleigh.
The team thanked all the volunteers and rescue agencies for their fast and coordinated response.
And a reminder from the crew: “These cliffs are unstable.
Keep your distance and always obey warning signs.”
Coast Path Shut Down for Safety
Due to the extent of the collapse, Devon County Council wasted no time in shutting down part of the popular coastal path.
The Exmouth Coastguard Rescue team urged people to stay away from the area and warned against trying to sneak past the closures.
“Please don’t put yourselves at risk,” a spokesperson said. “These cliffs are unpredictable.”
A Chilling Echo of Last Year’s Collapse
This isn’t the first time the cliffs around this area have caused alarm.
Almost exactly a year ago, a similar rockfall happened just a few miles away at Jacob’s Ladder beach in Sidmouth.
That collapse also sent dust flying and forced frightened beachgoers to flee—some even ran into the sea to escape.
Back then, as now, warning signs were already in place before disaster struck.
But it’s clear these natural structures can give way at any moment, especially after dry or wet weather spells weaken the cliffs.
Eyewitnesses Recall the Terrifying Moment
Photographs from the latest collapse show stunned beach visitors scrambling to safety.
In one image, two people can be seen making a dash into the water to avoid the falling rock.
Hans-Petter Bjørnestad, a visitor from Copenhagen who was nearby at Connaught Gardens, said it sounded like nature itself was roaring.
“I heard two loud booms—it was like thunder,” he said.
“It shook the ground even from 200 to 300 meters away.”
Search Teams Make Sure No One Was Swept Away
After the initial collapse, the Sidmouth Lifeboat crew scoured the coastline near Salcombe Mouth, just in case anyone had been pushed into the sea by the falling rock or while trying to escape.
Luckily, no one was missing, and everyone was accounted for.