Caravan park on UK coast evacuated after cliff collapse led to discovery of suspected unexploded bomb
Caravans at the holiday park were left "dangerously close to the edge" by the cliff collapse - and then a suspected bomb was discovered
Residents of a caravan park have been evacuated after an suspected unexploded bomb was discovered and a cliff edge unexpectedly collapsed.
Caravans at Parkefield Holiday Park, Lowestoft, Suffolk, were left "dangerously close to the edge" after high tides and wind caused a road to collapse there. A suspected unexploded device was then revealed at the base of a cliff a few hundred metres away. A controlled explosion has now been carried out on the device.
Leon Crossman, aged 34, spotted the suspected bomb on the beach close to a second holiday park, Pontin's, and said he alerted coastguards, who arrived in 10 minutes. "You couldn't miss it," he told the BBC.
HM Coastguard confirmed it sent teams to assist East Suffolk Council and Suffolk Police with a report of suspected ordnance at Pakefield at about 12:20pm following a cliff fall on Friday (November 24). Prior to the controlled explosion, it said an exclusion zone of 100m had been established around the site.
Members of the public have also been urged to keep away from part of the beach at Arbor Lane after erosion caused part of the road to collapse. A Facebook post from HM Coastguard Lowestoft said: "The beach there is now a dangerous place to be. Please keep well away." In captital letters, they added: "Please do not walk along the base of the cliffs."
"The beach there is now a dangerous place to be," HM Coastguard said. "The beach at the bottom of the steps at Arbor Lane has now mostly washed away. There is now a drop on to what's left of the beach."
Further along the coast in Norfolk, the tide also led to the collapse of a road at the erosion-hit village of Hemsby. HM Coastguard Lowestoft said in their Facebook post on Friday night that it would continue to monitor the cliffs in Pakefield this weekend. An update at 10am yesterday morning (Saturday November 25) said the team have been to the cliffs that morning to evaluate damage caused by the tides.
A spokesman for East Suffolk Council said: "The relevant authorities are addressing the impacts, and affected areas have been cordoned off as the extent of any damage is assessed. "Known damage which affects ordinary access includes the steps down to the beach at Arbor Lane. "Therefore, people are asked to avoid the area and stay away from locations which may still be vulnerable. There may be debris and the possibility of further collapse and public safety is a priority."