A GROUP of children had a lucky escape on Tuesday when five tons of rock crashed down cliffs near the St Audries Bay waterfall onto the beach on which they had been playing only minutes earlier.

A Watchet Coastguard team was called to the cliffs near Home Farm Holiday Centre after witnesses reported hearing a sound like thunder” as an estimated five tons of rocks tumbled on to the beach.

A Coastguard spokesman said: “After checking no-one was injured, safety advice was given to families on the beach and the owners of the holiday camp were advised to warn new visitors of the dangers of the loose cliffs.

“Warning signs are in place at beach access points and visitors should keep away from cliff edges and the base of cliffs due to the continued erosion. Our guidance is to stay out from the base of a cliff the same distance as the cliff height.

“Parents should certainly not allow children to play below these sorts of cliffs underneath any overhangs. In this case, we were lucky there were not any fatalities or serious injuries.”