There is a warning to stay away from the bottom of the cliffs at one of Cornwall’s most popular tourist beaches this evening (Friday).

With the working week ending in bright sunshine, many people may be thinking of heading to the coast to enjoy the start of the weekend.

However, those heading to one of Newquay’s beaches have been given a safety warning.

Following recent rock falls, the cliff at Great Western Beach remains unstable and people have been advised not to go near the bottom of it, for fear of further falls.

Cornwall Council issued the advice just after 5pm today, saying: “WARNING: Following recent rock falls at Great Western Beach, Newquay, anyone visiting the beach is advised to stay away from the bottom of the cliffs.”

There have been further rock falls at Great Western Beach (Image: Cornwall Council) There have been further rock falls at the beach since the first was reported back in July, during peak summer holiday season.

At that time the cliff was cordoned off, with a large quantity of slate and rubble seen lying on the sand at the foot of the cliff.

And it is not the only cliff in Newquay to have suffered collapse in recent months.

The steps down to Whipsiderry have been fenced off, with the gate locked, due to safety concerns. It is after sections of the cliff fell on more than one occasion at the end of last year.

The cliff began crumbling in November, with a second fall at the start of December.

Specialist surveys of the area at the time revealed that there was a risk of further imminent falls.

As such, access to the beach has been closed off – although this caused some difficulties for people walking the cliff path from Porth or Watergate Bay, who have found themselves unable to gain access back to the road.

Anyone who finds themselves cut off should contact emergency services.

As previously reported in the Packet, Whipsiderry was the location for a community-led protest back in March, by locals who were campaigning to have work stopped to fill in caves at the base of the cliffs, to enable properties to be developed on top of the 200-foot cliff.