Dramatic second cliff made well-known in Broadchurch collapses with huge rockfall simply metres from walkers

On Jan 20, 2026

By WILL HALLOWELL, TRAINEE NEWS REPORTER

Published: 13:46, 19 January 2026 | Updated: 13:51, 19 January 2026

This is the dramatic moment a cliff collapsed on the Jurassic Coast as two beachgoers disappeared under a huge cloud of dust.

Around 500 tonnes of sandstone rock fell onto the beach at West Bay, Dorset, when a section of the 150ft cliff made famous by the ITV crime drama Broadchurch suddenly gave way.

Footage from the scene showed the dramatic moment that part of the cliff collapsed just metres away from beachgoers.

The falling debris caused a thick, golden plume of dust as it hit the sand – but onlookers seemed unbothered by the collapse.

The dust cleared to reveal a 30ft pile of rock that cut off the beach at the seaside resort which featured in Broadchurch.

The coastguard was called to the scene to check if anyone was trapped under the rocks but fortunately no casualties were reported.

A witness said: ‘The cliff gave out a couple of puffs of dust as a warning so I got out my phone and started recording.

‘It was scary because there were many people on the beach.’

The moment the cliff collapsed at West Bay, Dorset, which was made famous by the ITV crime drama Broadchurch

Around 20 beachgoers witnessed the dramatic collapse of the cliff, which caused tonnes of debris to come crashing down on the sand

A huge plume of dust erupted on the beach, as two beachgoers disappeared from view before it settled

The golden cliffs near the Dorset town of West Bay were made famous by the hit TV show which saw Doctor Who star David Tennant and The Crown’s Olivia Colman as police detectives.

The series, which ran from 2013 to 2017, was set in the fictional town of Broadchurch on the Dorset coast.

West Bay’s cliffs featured throughout the show, which also starred Jodie Whittaker and Jonathan Bailey.

Dorset Council has urged people to take notice of warning signs and to stay away from the edge and the base of cliffs after other similar incidents.

Beachgoers ran for their lives when a large section of the same cliff at West Bay collapsed without warning earlier this month.

And in December 2024, a huge 120ft-wide chunk of the historic natural wonder fell to the ground overnight bringing with it hundreds of tonnes of debris.

Rockfalls are common along the stretch of cliffs at West Bay, which are generally caused by heavy rainfall that seeps into and weakens the sandstone rock over time.

Dorset Council said: ‘Rockfalls and landslips can happen at any time.

‘If you are out on the coast, please stay safe by taking notice of warning signs and keep to existing paths.

‘Stay away from the edge and the base of cliffs.

‘Rockfalls and landslips are part of the movement which makes up the unique nature of this coastline.’

What causes cliffs to collapse?

Cliffs collapse for a range of reasons.

While the most common reason is weathering, there are other factors to consider, such as water crashing against the cliff face, what the cliff is made of, and the climate of the area.

For example, softer materials, such as clay are more likely to collapse than harder materials like granite.

Bad weather naturally erodes the foundations of a cliff, and can cause it to collapse.

One of the most common examples of weathering is when rainfall affects the composition of the cliff.

As rain falls, it seeps into the permeable gravel and soil at the top of the cliff, adding weight to it.

At the same time, colder winter temperatures can cause the face of this cliff to freeze, as frozen areas weaken as they thaw.

If a cliff is against a body of water, such as a sea or ocean, waves crashing on the cliff can also weaken it over time.

Cliffs can also collapse as the result of rock slides, when whole slabs of rock detach from an inclined face and collapse, or as a result of mud slides, when wet soil and weak rocks fall.