A section of the cliffs near Beachy Head, East Sussex has collapsed following persistent rainfall brought by Storm Ciaran.

Drone footage captured on November 7 shows a large mound of rock at the bottom of the chalk cliffs.

According to the filmer, the rockfall happened near the Belle Tout Lighthouse where warnings have been put in place to prevent tourists from venturing too close to the edge.

They added: "As the ground is so saturated the permeable and soluble chalk dissolves so that hairline cracks appear below the grass and eventually leave to cliff falls as seen in the footage.

"The cliffs are eroding at an alarming rate and the nearby lighthouse will soon have to either be moved back from the edge or demolished."

After persistant heavy rain and storms battering te south -east of England, a large chunck of chalk cliff has fallen away close to Belle Tout Lighthouse near Beachy Head Eastbourne and plunged to the sea below. Visitors are warned to stay away from the edge which is now even closer to the footpath which is part of the Souht Downs Way and popular with tourists. As the ground is so saturated the premeable and soluble chalk dissolves so that hairline cracks appear below the grass and eventually leave to cliff falls as seen in the footage. The cliffs are eroding at an alarming rate and the nearby lighthouse will soon have to either be moved back from the edge or demolished.

Cliff fall of tons of rocks and soil from the cliff top to the sea close to Beachy Head East Sussex