A popular section of footpath in Cumbria has been temporarily closed by police and the county council's rights of way officers after a major landslip last night.

The first stage of the coast to coast route between St Bees and Fleswick Bay has been closed after around 150 feet of cliff face collapsed into the sea.

Police sealed off the area at St Bees Head at around 10pm last night and issued an urgent warning for people to stay clear.

The county council says there have been sightings, however, of walkers ignoring the police closure tape and continuing on the footpath. It says this could be extremely dangerous as a survey of the landslip has shown that parts of the existing footpath are unsupported from underneath - so walkers assuming the footpath is just closer to the edge than it used to be are actually standing on precarious ground that could be subject to further collapses.

The county council's rights of way officers will be contacting the local landowner whose field is adjacent to the landslide to explore the possibility of allowing permissive access across his land, so that the footpath can be brought inland to a safer point and reopened.

Until the necessary legal arrangements are in place, the footpath will remain closed and walkers should not ignore the closure notices.

The county council is aware that this is a popular route and school half term is imminent. It is therefore urgently working on alternative arrangements, which also involves discussions with DEFRA as well as the local landowner.