‘Idiotic’ beachgoers seen sunbathing under dangerous killer cliffs – ignoring huge sign RIGHT behind them
A FAMILY have been branded ‘idiotic’ for sunbathing at the bottom of a cliff known for rock falls, right under a huge warning sign.
Kerry Kidd was horrified to see the family-of-five sitting under the cliffs at Staithes Beach in Saltburn-by-the-sea, North Yorks, on Sunday.
A shocking photograph shows the family and their dog in deckchairs against the cliffs, underneath a sign reading: ‘BEWARE DANGEROUS CLIFFS’.
It is the same spot where a nine-year-old girl tragically died in a freak accident when a rock fell on her in 2018.
Nine-year-old Harriet Forster was playing in rock pools when she was hit on the head by a falling stone.
She tragically suffered serious head injuries and passed away at the scene.
Kerry was out with her husband Graham when she saw the family.
She said she didn’t approach them for fear of being shouted at – something she’s experienced before when trying to warn people of the danger.
She uploaded the images to Facebook to raise awareness of the dangers of using the cliffs as shade.
Facebook users were horrified, branding the family’s actions ‘stupid’ and ‘idiotic’.
Kerry said: “They probably looked at that sign and thought ‘I’m not going rock climbing’ [so didn’t think it referred to them] or perhaps they didn’t even notice it.
“It’s just in the back of my mind that a little girl died on this beach when a rock fell.
“I know it was a freak accident but it could happen to anyone.
“We are aware of the dangers of the cliffs but lots of people aren’t.”
Kerry said she sees lots of people seeking shade underneath the cliffs, and that there is no getting away from the rocks when they fall.
“They think it won’t happen to them but that little girl and family didn’t think it would happen to them but it did.”
Kerry said she sees and hears rocks falling from the cliffs on her walks all the time along the North Yorkshire coastline and warns how “one small rock could instantly kill you”.
The director of a second-hand clothing business said beaches should have more signposting to highlight the dangers of eroding cliffs on the coastline.
Kerry said: “The signs that they have up might not be clear enough for people that are not from the area, so maybe we need more signs and clearer signs.
“Maybe there should be plaques up to mark people that have died [in this way] in the area as a warning sign and maybe there should be more warning signs in general.”
Facebook users were quick to call out the family’s unobservant behaviour.
One user commented: “Do they think these important signs are to hang their hats on? It makes me so angry.”
Another furious Facebook user said: “It’s beyond stupid.
“They obviously have children with them just by seeing the buckets and spades.
“Why oh why after the tragic loss of life to a little girl.”