A SEAFRONT pathway on the north Suffolk coast has been blocked off to walkers after a cliff slippage led to a high safety risk to the public.

Waveney District Council has sealed off the pathway at Corton, near Lowestoft, at the bottom of a cliff along the edge of the Corton Coastal Village holiday park.

The council says the cliff probably crumbled away due to recent high rainfall.

A council spokesman said: “This action was taken because the cliff slip has raised the level of risk to persons walking along the prom, and then potentially over or around the blockage, to an unacceptably high level.

“This is a temporary measure while the council considers options for longer term management of public safety at this and other nearby locations where risks are regarded as high. It is possible, but unlikely, that wave action will reduce or remove the blockage naturally over the coming days. It is also possible that further slips will occur.”

Erosion has been a problem along that particular stretch of coast, which is a popular destination for walkers. In April 2010 it was closed off after a masonry slip lead to public safety concerns.

The issue of erosion is being tackled in Corton by a Waveney District Council-led pathfinder drainage works programme to tackle excess surface water.

The Corton Coastal Village holiday park was closed during the latest slippage and is gearing up to re-open in the next few weeks.

Mike Stephenson, general manager of the Warner Leisure Hotels owned park said: “It (erosion) has been a problem along here for a while. On a positive note the work Waveney pathfinder is doing will hopefully solve it in the long run.”