A SECTION of cliff in Bournemouth will be closed indefinitely after a 100ft landslip flattened a toilet block.

Benches smashed to the promenade below and the East Cliff’s Edwardian funicular railway lift was submerged in debris as a result of the landslip in the early hours of Sunday.

Engineers spent Monday examining the scene, where the clifftop pathway around the Jon Egging memorial was torn away, as efforts were made to prevent further damage.

Head of the borough’s tourism operations, Chris Saunders, confirmed that geotechnical experts have been tasked to assess the cliff and advise on the best course of action to prevent further problems.

“We need to get some professional advice about what we do next so there is no timescale on anything at this stage,” said Mr Saunders.

“If there is more rainfall over the next couple of days then there is likely to be more movement - although we expect it to be minor.

“I would ask the public to respect the barriers in place which are there for their own safety.”

And Cllr Lawrence Williams, cabinet member for tourism, said he wants to reassure residents and visitors that the authority is closely monitoring the site and taking the necessary safety measures.

“The safety of the public is our main priority and so barriers will be in place around the affected area for the foreseeable future,” said Cllr Williams.

“Although this is a significant landslip, it is only one spot along Bournemouth’s seven miles of beaches, and we do not have any concerns about other areas.”

The landslip has left the memorial sculpture in memory of Flt Lt Jon Egging, a Red Arrows pilot killed in a crash during the 2011 Bournemouth Air Festival, perilously close to the cliff’s edge.

This prompted his widow Dr Emma Egging, CEO of the Jon Egging Trust, to issue a statement which said: “We are very concerned to hear about the landslip near to Jon’s memorial but relieved that nobody has been injured by the event.

“We have contacted Bournemouth council and thankfully there has been no damage to the memorial itself, which is a fitting tribute to Jon, whose ambition was to inspire and support young people to reach their full potential.

“We have been informed that the area has been cordoned off and no decision has been made as to how long this restriction will remain.

“We would ask people to respect the advice of the Council and exercise caution when in the area.”

East Overcliff Drive remains open to pedestrians and traffic in the wake of the incident.