Lyme chalets demolished

Beachfront chalets in Lyme Regis have been demolished following several landslides caused by heavy rain this winter.

Seven have been knocked down, but there's concern that more may be affected as the land beneath them continues to move.

Our Dorset Correspondent Duncan Sleightholme reports:

A seventh chalet is being demolished in Lyme Regis following a seriesof landslides this winter. The Town Council says there has beensignificant movement in Ware Cliff in the last few days.

The chalets have slipped down as the earth has moved. Other chalets have beenfenced off and access to Monmouth Beach has been closed. We will have more on this story on ITV News West Country at 6pm.

Two more chalets will be demolished on the Jurassic coast today as cliffs continue to move.

Five holiday homes were damaged last week in a series of landslips to the west of Lyme Regis. Now there is concern for six others. The damaged chalets and access road to Monmouth Beach have been cordoned off.

The coastguard and other emergency services are dealing with a major landslip at Monmouth Beach in Lyme Regis. Portland Coastguard say 150m of cliff has collapsed.

They are working to see if anyone has been caught up in the cliff fall.

A row of holiday homes west of Lyme Regis are at risk of being destroyed. Last night, what's been described as a 'major landslip' occured above Monmouth Beach, damaging some of the chalets, and its feared another may happen at any time.

The recent heavy rain is being blamed for the slip, which is the latest of many to hit that stretch of the Jurassic Coast. It is just 12 miles from Burton Bradstock where a 22 year old woman died in July last year. Richard Lawrence reports.

Council officials are monitoring the shifting of the cliff and say there are serious risks of further land slips which stretch for a quarter of a mile inland.

The road to Monmouth Beach in Lyme Regis had been closed for safety reasons. There are fears further landslides could even knock chalets down to the road. Several are now perched precariously. Yesterday engineers disconnected their electricity after power lines came down.

Surveyors are expected to visit the area but it's thought little can be done until the cliffs become more stable.