Rockfall warning at Sark harbour and beach

People have been advised to avoid sitting under cliffs at a Sark harbour due to the risk of rockfall.

Sark's Douzaine, the committee responsible for the island's infrastructure, said civil engineers from Geomarine had carried out an inspection at Creux Harbour along with La Coupée and La Maseline Harbour in November.

The team concluded due to a rockfall risk at Creux, people should not sit under the cliffs at the site and the old tunnel should be closed due to the risk of roof collapse and cliff fall above the entrances.

Douzaine chairman Mike Locke said the government was committed to keeping Sark safe.

Geomarine's report recommended signs were installed at Creux to warn people of the danger of rockfall and not to sit near the cliffs at the beach, slipway or tunnel.

It added the recommendations included placing barriers or rocks near the cliffs to discourage people from sitting or sunbathing there.

Locke said warning signs had been put up at Creux and work would take place to block off the old tunnel.

He said the safety of everyone in the island, whether they were residents or tourists, was the number one priority.

"Despite the fact we're on an island that has been naturally crumbling away over the millennia, that doesn't stop you needing to make sure it is as safe as you can," he said.

Geomarine also recommended stabilisation or fencing work should be carried out at Maseline Harbour to protect people and vehicles from possible rockfalls.

The firm's inspection of La Coupée concluded there was no immediate risk of large scale collapses, but work should be carried out to assess the long-term stability and erosion rates along the narrow road.

It added this included annual drone inspections of the site and the installation of fixed erosion markers.

In January - two months after Geomarine's inspection - emergency work was required at La Coupée after a partial wall collapse was reported.

Locke said the repairs were able to be completed within a week and the island's government would do what it could to follow Geomarine's recommendations.

"We have plans to carry out more work at La Coupée from mid-April," he said.

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