Walkers (and children!) risk their lives for a selfie on South Coast cliffs

By JAYA NARAIN, REPORTER and ED HOLT Published: 00:36, 7 August 2026 | Updated: 00:39, 7 August 2026 Apparently oblivious to the danger, reckless tourists pose for selfies at the edge of a cracked and crumbling chalk cliff 170ft above a rocky beach. The alarming scene at Seaford Head in East Sussex follows warnings about the risks of standing on the brink of the cliff, from which huge sections regularly plunge to the shore. Distressing pictures showed members of the public and sometimes children stood perilously close to the cliff edge as they smile and pose for the camera.   The striking white landmark is riddled with so–called tension cracks – but that didn't stop more than a dozen visitors ignoring warning signs so they could take photographs. Seaford Head attracts thousands of walkers on the King Charles III England Coast Path each year. Sightseers are urged to keep at least five metres from the edge while admiring the Seven Sisters cliffs between Brighton and Eastbourne. East Sussex County Council has issued a warning to visitors that the cliffs are extremely unstable. The statement said: 'Every year, thousands of tons of chalk falls from the cliffs. 'Despite warning signs, people often stand near the edge. Chalk cliffs are extremely unstable and can fall at any time. Distressing pictures show members of the public and sometimes children stood perilously close to the cliff edge at  Seaford Head as they smile and pose for the camera The striking white landmark is riddled with so–called tension cracks – but that didn't stop more than a dozen visitors ignoring warning signs so they could take photographs 'People underestimate the risks they are taking.' The clifftop is also home to one of England's oldest golf courses, Seaford Head Golf Course, which is in danger of falling into the sea after a spate of cliff falls triggered by extreme weather. It is now planning to move its world famous 18th hole tee and 17th green as a safety measure after repeated falls left golfers perilously close to the cliff edge. The club says the accelerating coastal erosion which threatens its future is being caused by climate change. A recent fall saw hundreds of tonnes of the chalk cliff face collapse to the beach below. The threat of further falls mean the iconic 18th tee – which features one of the most dramatic tee shots in UK golf – will also have to move. The tee is perched 300 feet above sea level and features a 150–foot vertical drop from a clifftop tee down to the fairway below. With the backdrop of the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs it is one of the most photographed and celebrated tee offs in the world. A man poses with a child on the cliff. East Sussex County Council has issued a warning to visitors that the cliffs are extremely unstable Sightseers are urged to keep at least five metres from the edge while admiring the Seven Sisters cliffs between Brighton and Eastbourne  A young man stands on the edge of the cliff at Seaford Head. The alarming scene at Seaford Head in East Sussex follows warnings about the risks of standing on the brink of the cliff, from which huge sections regularly plunge to the shore The move will also involve the relocation of the 17th green which sits just metres away from the unstable chalk cliff edge. The municipal club was formed in 1887 and is one of the oldest links courses in the country. Simon Lambert, course manager at the council–owned Seaford Head Golf Course for 26 years, said plans were being drawn up not just for the safety of golfers but also walkers who hike on the newly–opened King Charles III Coastal Path which runs alongside it. He said: 'It's for the safety of all users – golfers, walkers and anyone else using the site or the path – and to future proof the 18–hole course. 'Coastal erosion has been a big factor to consider for a number of years now here on Seaford Head. We have seen a number of smaller and some more significant cliff falls over time. 'It is something that is happening with ever increasing extremes of weather both wet and dry and I feel this will only continue and we need to be proactively working towards managing the effects of what seems to be an unstoppable issue.' The 17th green also sits partly within an Iron Age Hill Fort – a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The fort has stood for 2,500 years but is doomed to fall into the sea with part of it already having collapsed. A large collapse in 2021 prompted Historic England to place it on the Heritage at Risk register. Mr Lambert said the golf club has been looking into the possibility of altering the course for several years and the plans being drawn up will be presented to the many stakeholders, including South Downs National Park, Natural England and Historic England. Once all feedback is given and any adaptations and recommendations taken into consideration, it hopes to commission full plans with planning permissions and costings.