UK beauty spot closed after winter storms destroy steps

"Durdle Door in Dorset, has been closed to the public following severe winter storms that rendered its access unsafe. The renowned stone arch is now inaccessible after the lower section of its 143 wooden steps, built into the rapidly eroding 200ft cliffs, collapsed. Further damage to the beach itself, a magnet for half a million visitors annually, has seen tonnes of shingle washed away by rough seas."

"The wooden steps were only installed two years ago after previous winter storms caused them to be buried under clay and mud in a landslide. Countryside rangers and volunteers built new flights of stairs and reinforced the banks with shuttering. But such is the speed of coastal erosion that their hard work has already been undone following the recent extreme weather."

Durdle Door in Dorset, one of Britain's most iconic coastal landmarks, has been closed to the public following severe winter storms that made access unsafe. The lower section of its 143 wooden steps collapsed due to rapid cliff erosion. The beach, which attracts approximately half a million visitors annually, suffered significant damage with tonnes of shingle washed away, exposing jagged rocks. A danger sign has been posted while major repairs commence before spring. The wooden steps were only installed two years ago after previous storms buried them under clay and mud. Countryside rangers and volunteers had reinforced the banks, but coastal erosion has quickly undone these efforts.

Read at www.independent.co.uk