Nearly killed by rock-fall from cliffs next to beach

[Clarinet60]

Hi everyone, I've been busy so off-line again lately, but went on hols to Devon last week where this incident occurred (sp). For brevity, it was Rockham beach, Morthoe, near Woolacoomb (can't spell that either) and we weren't sitting directly beneath the cliff, but at what we thought was a safe distance. We weren't even beneath a scary-looking overhanging piece either, but a few feet away from a smooth, benign-looking portion of the cliff. Anyway, DH and DS1 were paddling at the water's edge while DS2 slept on a rug. I chatted to friends. Next minute, there was a rumbling and 50 tons of rock came down. It landed inches from where we had been sitting and we ran for our lives. Anyone directly beneath it would not have survived. Incidentally, no-one else in our little party remembered the sleeping baby - everyone just ran. I scooped him up with the whole thing happening in slow motion, and ran. A couple of minutes afterwards, everyone started shaking.

The authorities have been informed, and hopefully, adequate signs will soon be erected, but it's worrying to think about what might happen to someone in the meantime. Families sit beneath those rocks, and probably have done for generations. Yikes!

Droile, how terrifying and thank goodness you're all OK.

That is so scarey!

Oh my god, how scary. Glad to here that everyone was okay.

Thank God for a mothers instinct to remember all of her children! How terrifying for all of you. I do think that there ought to have been some kind of sign to warn people that the rocks were unstable. Surely they must have them checked?

Isn't that slow motion thing just the worst thing in the world. I'm not surprised you were all shaking, utterly terrifing.

Hope it didn't spoil the rest of you holiday.

droile, that's so awful. I had the 'slow motion affect' the other day - DS (23 months) was bitten by a dog in the park.

DS was about 10 yards away from me and I saw the dog run to him and I ran to him at the same time. I heard this CRUNCH noise that I thought sounded like a bite and then he screamed and I saw he was bleeding. I went completely cold with fear and got literal tunnel vision where all I could see was him. Luckily it only nicked his nose - I think facial wounds always bleed a lot and to be fair i think the dog just got overexcited - don't think it intentionally bit him.

Anyway, it was so awful and all I could think that night was how vunerable our small people are and 'what if...' which I know is pointless but hard to avoid thinking.

now, of course, we have years of re-programming to get rid of the fear of dogs he has developed. he only has to hear a bark and he grabs me

OH F*CK ! DH and I are off to Woolacombe on Friday with DD. Will be staying off that beach

How terrifying Droile. I hope the family are all over the shock of it. Things like this make you realise just how much your family means to you.

Good Lord, Droile, what a lucky escape, so glad you are all OK. We are off to Woolacombe next summer too and as it is our first time there I will be well warned after you shared your experience with us.
Hope you are soon less busy (mind, I can't talk ).

BTW wsm and Marina, there are miles of sand on Woolacombe beach that are nowhere near any cliffs, so don't be worried that your kids won't be able to use the beach.

But how terrifying for you, Droile. So glad no one was hurt.

Yes, there are other beaches Marina & Wicked, so don't worry. We only went to that one because we were staying with friends and had to 'be where they went'. Just be careful. The whole thing has made me much more thoughtful and vigilant (as if I wasn't paranoid enough already, but never mind ...). If we go somewhere and see that other people are relaxed, enjoying themselves, lying down - we assume everything is safe. There were people lying right beneath the worst-looking bit of cliff before the rock-fall! It's made me try to act less like a sheep, I suppose.

There should be a big red sign right there on the beach and perhaps there will be now that a bit of a fuss has blown up. The National Trust, bless 'em, has put a sign at the top of the cliff saying it is unstable (for climbing, presumably), but most people are so busy thinking about negotiating the steep steps down to the beach that they don't see it, let alone read it. It's written in a pleasant grey/white lettering and looks like information on the area at first glance.

Katierocket, that's awful about the dog. That's always been one of my worst fears, especially with DS1 as he strokes first and thinks later. I know you probably feel awful about the development of a fear/phobia, but IMO, a bit of respect/distance where dogs and kids are concerned is no bad thing.

I'm glad I posted this if some of you are going on holiday in the area, as none of us have been able to stop thinking about what almost happened, and could happen again to another family.

The fact that no-one else picked up the baby really freaked me out, actually. I can't explain it. I know he doesn't mean as much to anyone else, but there wasn't so much as a glance in his direction, and none of the other people concerned had children on that beach. Makes you think.

Droile, what a horrible experience, I am so glad you are all OK, especially little sprog. I hail from the West Country and hope this hasn't put you off visiting in future.

years ago, we went swimming in a hotel pool and there were a few other people there. Anyway when it was time to go take off arm bands , little 3 yr dd (can't swim) calmy walks up the deep end - with me shouting her name to come and follow us out and she jumps in. she there standing on the bottom 4 foot of water above her, and not one single person moved except me who sprints down the lenght of the pool and jumps in.

Droile - should have said on my previous message - it freaked me out for a while that no-one came to help either.

helenmc - that's horrid fr you. Apparantly I did the same when younger too. Fortunately my dad was nearby at the time. We need eyes in the back of our heads don't we?

how frightening,i know that beach well,we spend every summer ther.mind you,its not one of the more accessible,main beaches,so dont panic those of you who are going.woolacombe is a massive beach,and further along are coombesgate and barracane beach which lovely.

That's awful, helenmc, what a horrible feeling. You just never know what the little blighters will do next, do you?

There's a place in N Cornwall where cows regularly fall off the cliff onto the beach below. Makes quite a noise apparantly. Don't think anyone has been hurt yet though.

Droile - freaky near death experience! Someone was looking after you

We had an "incident" a fortnight ago. We were pickinicking (sp?) with friends in a country park.

We went for a walk with ds in his buggy and crossed through a field car park. At one end was a large family gathering (vitara jeeps/wicker hampers/barbour jackets etc). A small boy (poss 6/7) had a remote control in his hands and what looked like a kite or small 'plane at his feet. He set it off. It was a bl*&$y ROCKET !!!!!

It misfired. Flew upwards at 45 degree angle then fell down, landed literally about a metre from ds' buggy. It smouldered for a second or two and then exploded away from his buggy. Dh and I were in total shock. We moved really quickly away from the site and looked round. The family group were peeing themselves laughing and shouted "oops sorry!"

I had that whole slow motion experience and shook for the rest of the day. dh found a ranger and complained - it had happened before that day too. If we'd been in a fit state to confront aforementioned family of imbeciles then we would have, but we couldn't speak for about 1/2 hour following.
There's nothing we can do now
Ds is fine, but I'm still reeling.

These things are only meant to happen to other people!

Sounds like a police matter, bobsmum, if it was an explosion. How awful, too awful for words.

Not sure I could have controlled myself or my DH from going over to said family and shouting the odds.

Honestly, people like that get me so angry. How are the kids supposed to know how to behave oif the parents think something like that is amusing ?

It was a fortnight ago and we've got no way of identifying the family. What would I or could I do next?

I don't think there is anything you could do with regards to the family but I would get in touch with the ranger again and ask what steps they are taking to avoid this happening again ? They obv did nothing to prevent it when it happened the first time or else it wouldn't have happened to you and yours. I would request that the authorities put up signs which clearly prohibit the use of such 'toys' for a start.

bobsmum I would have taken their vehicle number plates to report to the police so they could be identified. Not sure what the law actually is regarding remote controlled flying things but a child aged about 5 was killed by one landing on her head this summer in our part of the world.

Scary experiences Droile, Helenmac, Bobsmum - well done all three for calm thoughts in crisis!!

Droile, agree with what you say about sub-conciously assuming all is safe if others are relaxed... I've seen it happen so often.

In the days before DD I was a coastguard, we were always getting called out to people whose children had 'wandered off', fallen down cliffs, been swept out to sea or preventable accidents had happened. I'm sure all you mumsnetters are a sensible bunch, but please please do keep an eye on your kids at the beach. Just because its a fantastic place to relax, don't drop your guard -treat the sea with the respect it deserves, its a really powerful thing!

If anything does happen, or if the litle ones do get lost, tell everyone ASAP, get someine to ring 999 - don't wait a second hoping they will be at the ice cream stand or where ever. Believe me, the parents who were the most embarrassed were the ones who had waited, not the ones who had raised a false alarm.

Lecture over - just don't want you to get hurt