THERE could be more landslips in the coming days and weeks, experts warn.

On Thursday night, a shock 170ft landslip occured between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers, blocking off the promenade all day on Friday.

Following the clean-up operation on the beach, the geo-technical expert assessed the cliffs east of Bournemouth Pier to make sure they were safe.

Mr Saunders said: “A geo-technical expert has studied the cliff face and determined that all the debris has now fallen away with no further danger of a landslide.

“A small amount of lose material, however, may fall when it next rains, forecast for Sunday.

“We have been advised that a section of the cliff adjacent to where the landslip occurred does need monitoring over the next few days and therefore the surrounding promenade in that area will stay closed until further notice.”

Doctor Mark Cowley, a chartered engineering geologist, a leading landslide expert, said: “The landslip is likely to be as a result of all the recent wet weather.”

He said the rainwater would have percolated into the sands that appear to make up the slope, and as it does so the overall strength of the soil that make up the slope has been reduced.

“There is always likely to be some water in the slope but as the extra water flows into it after heavy rain, it cannot drain away very quickly and the soils become what we call fully saturated,” he said.

“In effect the groundwater table rises up within the slope and the ability of the slope to remain stable at its current angle is diminished.”

Dr Cowley, who has 25 years’ experience in this field, said that slopes such as the east cliff in Bournemouth can fail after the heavy rain has occurred.

He added: “There are likely to be more slips in saturated slopes in the coming days and weeks as the groundwater levels rise after a very wet winter.

“They are not usually a major problem as they are often only fairly minor.

“However people need to be vigilant and be aware of the potential danger that a large slip like this can present.”