A “massive crack” discovered on a cliff face near Kilve brought warnings this week that a potential landslide could bring over 500 tons of rock onto the beach which is a popular route for holiday-makers and walkers.

The area, between Kilve and St Audries, and known as Blue Bend, is regularly used by fishermen. A Coastguard spokesman said: “The cliffs are continually eroding and it’s impossible to predict when cracks might appear.

“It could happen in a split second often with no warning, especially after periods of wet weather followed by dry spells. We advise the public to keep away from cliff edges and the bases of cliffs and not to hammer rocks looking for fossils.”

A Somerset County Council public rights of way team spokesman said: “We are inspecting this section of the England Coast Path to ensure that the cracks do not pose a danger to walkers.”

But fisherman Dale Webber said: “There is a massive crack in the cliffs and it is only a matter of time before something bad is going to happen. I don’t think there are enough signs to let people know the dangers, especially for visitors on holiday.”