Selwicks Bay: Visitors to Yorkshire beach urged not to ignore closure of unsafe steps

Visitors to a Yorkshire beach are being urged not to ignore the closure of steps leading to the beauty spot following reports people have been climbing over the barrier.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council said it has had reports of beachgoers climbing over a closure barrier to access steps to Selwicks Bay, near Flamborough lighthouse.

The stairs have been closed by the council since June after an inspection found they were seriously damaged, with “clear and invisible structural issues caused by heavy footfall and corrosion by the elements”.

A fixed barrier, warning signs and closure signs have been in place at the site ever since.

The council has also expressed concerns anyone who paddleboards to Selwicks Bay from the nearby North Beach could find themselves stranded or have to turn back as there is no way up to the clifftop.

The authority has said it has engineers working to find a solution, but added the steps are likely to be closed for some time, with a possibility they will have to be rebuilt.

Councillor Nick Coultish, the council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure, tourism and planning, said: “We don’t want to restrict access to this beach, but these steps are in a dangerous condition, so we had no choice but to close them.

"Please don't ignore the barrier and closure signs, because there is a real risk that someone could get seriously hurt if the steps give way.

"We look forward to reopening these steps when they are made safe, but until then please don't use them."