Storm Eleanor creates dramatic new sand cliffs on landmark beaches

The 20ft sand cliffs which have appeared at Perranporth, Cornwall left by storm Eleanor
The large sand cliffs which have appeared at Perranporth, Cornwall left by storm Eleanor Credit: Guy Harrop for The Telegraph

The raw power of Storm Eleanor has seen millions of tonnes of sand shifted to create dramatic new landscapes on some of Britain's most popular beaches.

The 100mph winds combined with powerful tides brought on by a super moon left a significant mark on the Cornish coastline with 30ft sand cliffs created in some spots.

Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteers have warned the public to stay away from the unstable structures and one beach has also been closed due to safety fears.

Among the most dramatic changes is a 20ft sheer cliff drop that has been created in the middle of Perranporth beach in Cornwall.

The erosion has left the Watering Hole pub, the only bar in Britain based directly on a beach, perched on its own private island.

Two bridges on to the beach have also been flattened and pub owner Bob Job said it was difficult for the public to now reach them.

Perranporth beach
Hidden treasure: a metal detectorist wastes no time on Perranporth beach Credit: SWNS

He said: "It is difficult to walk past it and we had this once before. It is currently about 20m from our front door and when the tide is right up we are on an island.

"It does effect trade as you have to walk across the beach to get here. There are two bridges which have both taken a smashing. They not very safe at the moment.

"We are bringing the digger in this afternoon (Friday) to get away the sharp edges as it is not safe to kids. They will come and level it off.

"Hopefully that will alleviate most of our problems."

Elsewhere, a seven-foot drop has been left on Summerleaze beach further up the North Cornwall coast in Bude where 30ft waves were recorded.

Visitors to the beach are being urged to take care and part of the beach has been closed.

Cornwall Council said: "Please take care if you're heading to Summerleaze Beach in Bude. The recent storms have created a sand 'cliff' on the upper shore leaving a 6-7ft drop in the level of the sand at one of the beach access points."

Summerleeze Beach, Bude
Summerleeze Beach in Bude has been closed Credit: Telegraph

Crantock beach has also been significantly eroded, with the lifeguard hut being undermined, and 32ft sand cliffs being formed in some sections of the dunes above it.

These dunes have also been significantly driven back, making some former access points unusable.

Nick Ely, coastal engineer for the Environment Agency in Devon and Cornwall said they were still assessing all the damage.

He said "Our post-storm emergency survey teams have been out measuring the extent of change to our beaches to allow us to calculate how much coastal erosion has occurred."

The RNLI's area lifesaving manager Dickon Berriman warned of the dangers of the new cliffs.

He said: "We strongly advise visitors to beaches to stay well clear of the sand cliffs that have been formed by the recent high tides and stormy weather.

"They contain huge quantities of heavy sand and are extremely unstable."

License this content