Council closes stretch of Milford beach amid safety concerns and stormy weather

SAFETY concerns for walkers and stormy weather have seen a stretch of Milford beach closed for five days.

New Forest District Council blocked off the area at Hordle Cliff last Wednesday due to it having become narrow at high tide, two days before it was then lashed by strong winds and torrential rain.

Images of huge waves crashing at the beach last Friday, taken by a coastal engineer were shared by NFDC on Twitter as it urged people to be extra cautious.

“Cliff material can fall in this weather, particularly between Barton-on-Sea through to Milford-on-Sea,” the tweet said.

“Please take care if you are visiting the coast and keep a safe distance from cliff edges and the base of cliffs.”

The Hordle Cliff beach closure has been marked out by signs.

An NFDC spokesperson said: “The removal of the closure is subject to further inspections following the storm event on 31st March where we will assess any impacts.”

People can report any coastal issues to NFDC online at bit.ly/3zs5dHX