A video has emerged showing the dramatic moment that a cliff fall took place at West Bay.

Omar El-Haj from London was holidaying in Dorset with his family when he caught the cliff fall on video.

He had been planning to take some shots of his wife and his pet dog on the beach when he noticed the fall and quickly adjusted his drone.

Read more: Tonnes of rock fall from West Bay cliff

Bridport and Lyme Regis News: Omar, his wife Jael and their Toy Poodle 'Ori'Omar, his wife Jael and their Toy Poodle 'Ori' (Image: Omar El-Haj)

Mr El-Haj was amazed and awestruck by the sight. He said: "There were a lot of people around and we were worried if there was anyone there but we looked at the footage and didn't see anyone.

"It is just one of those unexpected moments. You see the signs saying it's dangerous and people were still very near the area. It was amazing to see.

"Who knows, we could have been down there, it goes to show you have to believe the signs.

"The feeling when it happened was of amazement at how magnificent that cliff is and how dangerous and nerve-wracking it can be if you don't respect it.

"Overall it was amazing to see, and as a videographer, amazing to be able to record. Awe-inspiring."

In photos taken on Friday, people can be seen approaching the rockfall - despite warning signs about the dangers. 

The heavy rain and wind from Storm Nelson are likely to have been what caused the cliff to give way.

Dorset Council has previously advised visitors to the coast to take notice of warning signs and not to climb over fresh falls because they can still be unstable.

“Care should always be taken on the coast by not walking close to the edge of cliffs or close to the bottom of them," a spokesperson said.

Dorset Council has issued the following advice about rock falls:

  1. Stay away from the edge of the cliff top - admire the view from a safe distance
  2. Stay away from the base of cliffs: rock falls and landslides can happen at any time. If you are under a rock fall, the likelihood is you will die
  3. Pay attention to warning signs – they are there for your safety
  4. Check tide times before you set off to avoid being cut off by incoming tides
  5. Keep dogs on leads near the cliff edge