A Norfolk council has joined forces with HM Coastguard in warning of the danger of further cliff falls caused by the recent heavy rain, despite no further incidents being reported.

Tonnes of earth were sent plummeting onto the beach at Sidestrand, near Cromer, in a cliffside collapse at around 6.30am on Wednesday, June 12.

HM Coastguard later sent a team there to ensure the area was safe.

Pete Revell, from the Coastguard's Bacton team, said: "There were no further incidents overnight on Wednesday, but the cliffs are unstable and my advice still stands.

"We've had several days of heavy rain and there's more to come so this could be the start of the cliffs being unstable.

"The water coming off the fields makes the cliffs absolutely saturated and it ends up becoming a mud bath."

He added: "There's no real point in cordoning off the earth that fell in Sidestrand, Where do you put the barriers, as the tide comes in and out? The mudslide is right up to the breakers at present."

He said the cliff fall meant it was now impossible to walk along the beach between Trimingham and Sidestrand at high tide.

And he urged walkers to give the area a wide berth, and to be especially careful when walking along the coast.

"We've got cliffs from Weybourne right around to Happisburgh, which is always unstable anyway," he said.

"Walkers should be very mindful of the dangers, and stay away from the top of the cliffs, and the base of the cliffs as well."

North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) is also warning of the dangers.

A spokesman said: "NNDC strongly advises people to remain clear of cliff edges at all times due to their instability which can be compounded following heavy rainfall.

"This also applies to the base of the cliffs, and so walkers are also advised to take care when walking along the coast in case of cliff slips."

A spokesman for the Maritime & Coastguard Agency said there had been no other reports of cliff falls in the area.

See a dramatic video at www.edp24.co.uk