A SURVEY has been conducted following a massive coastal collapse.

After Storm Callum battered Wales last month, hundreds of tonnes of rock and earth collapsed onto Porth Neigwl/Hell’s Mouth beach on the Ll?n Peninsula.

The landslide occurred just a stone’s throw away from Siop Penrallt, a prominent house on the cliff edge, and raised questions about what could be done to minimise the amount of coastal erosion in the area.

Over the last 130 years, approximately 40 metres of cliff has fallen onto the picturesque bay below but the rate of collapse is wholly unpredictable.

A structural engineer was sent out by Gwynedd Council to assess the integrity of the cliff and has reported back.

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “It is well known locally that the Porth Neigwl area is susceptible to landslides and landslips, and that the cliff is in retreat due to natural processes.

“Following a recent landslide at Porth Neigwl, Gwynedd Council engineers have been looking at the area in more detail.

“Initial reports indicate that although there can be relatively large landslips in this area, they are also relatively infrequent, and it is almost impossible to predict with any accuracy when and where they are likely to occur.

“Taking these factors into account, as well as the fact that the beach and the land along the cliff top is not council property, on balance it would be very difficult for the council to justify keeping people away from the entire beach.

“However, we would reiterate our warning to people to take care while near the coastline. There is an increased risk of landslip during and following periods of intense or prolonged rainfall so care should be taken at all times if walking along the top of, or directly below, a cliff.”