Residents are angry a massive cliff collapse has happened at Whipsiderry Beach after predicting it would occur.

Campaigners have repeatedly called for cliff reinforcement works to be stopped ahead of seven luxury villas being built on the clifftop above after experts warned it could trigger a massive landslip.

Save Whipsiderry Cliffs group, which has staged various protests against the cliff being concreted, say there have been about 12 cliff falls since March before the massive rockfall on Wednesday at about 1pm.

Around five metres of cliff top fell onto the beach along with fencing around the construction site.

No one was injured during the incident but emergency services are warning people to stay away following fears more cliff could come away at any moment.

Police have cordoned off the steps leading down to the beach and the surrounding footpath for safety reasons.

The huge cliff fall follows reinforcement works being carried out which involves excavating the sea caves with heavy machinery, drilling into the rock and inserting steel rods and filling the caves with concrete, including part of the cliff face above.

The Marine Management Organisation suspended the license earlier this year for the cliff stabilisation works for five months until January 31 2024 pending further investigation.

It follows campaigners “bombarding” the Government body with evidence showing why the work should be stopped due to its impact on the cliff and wildlife.

Save Whipsiderry Cliffs group has staged various protests against the cliff being concreted as they believe it would ruin the picturesque area and would be detrimental to wildlife.

Campaigners are now calling for the development to be stopped once and for all.

Robert Taylor said: “If this humungous cliff collapse does not stop the cliff top development then nothing will. 

“This area is evidently a contender as the most unstable in the entire county of Cornwall. 

“The limited drilling it would seem has set off a chain reaction of collapse.”

Leah steward added: “Whipsiderry will never be the same.

“This should have happened over decades and a century, not months. 

“Erosion is a natural process, but not at this speed. 

“No other stretch of Cornish coastline has had such a high number of falls over such a short time frame. 

“Nothing to do with the huge crane sat in the same spot that has fallen or the percussion drilling in the cliffs at the bottom?”

Councillor Joanna Kenny said: “I went down to Whipsiderry to see for myself.

“It looks like some of the site on top of the cliff has gone.

“You can clearly see the fallen fencing and where it is hanging down.  

“That includes part of the platform that held the heavy crane that lowered and raised the heavy machinery each day.   

“Local experts were pretty clear with their concern at the time that this might have weakened the cliff.”