Don't look down! Heart-in-mouth moment day-tripper risks his life to pose for a photo on 150ft cliff edge at Birling Gap beauty spot in Sussex

• Man peered over the cliff at Birling Gap, near Eastbourne, in East Sussex, today
• He wore a rucksack and his trainers as he peered over the unstable cliff edge
• Scene comes a  day after a curious girl was pulled back from the 400ft cliffs 

As thousands of Britons flocked to the nation's parks and beaches today to bask in 79F temperatures, one reveller decided to risk his life by hanging off the edge of an unstable 150ft cliff for a photo.

The shocking images captured at the Birling Gap cliffs, near Eastbourne, in East Sussex, today showed the unknown man walking to the cliff's edge and putting himself in grave danger in order to pose for the camera.

Despite the imminent danger to his life, the man, who was not wearing a harness of any safety equipment, continued to peer over the cliff edge as he clung to a wall.

The heart-pounding scene comes as stark warnings urging people to beware of the perilous cliffs have continued to be ignored by visitors amid the pandemic. 

A Birling Gap Coastguard spokeswoman said: 'We really can't stress enough how important it is to keep back from cliff edges. There is no ''safe'' place to be and the cliffs along the UK coastline are continuously eroding.

'Use the designated paths, take notice of any warning signs, be responsible and don't take any unnecessary risks.

'It's more important than ever to take extra care in these extraordinary times. Coronavirus hasn't gone away and your choices might put our frontline responders at risk.

'As always, if you see anyone in trouble, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.'  

Elsewhere in West Bay, Dorset, alarming photos showed foolhardy sun-seekers risking their lives by posing on the edge of an unstable 150ft cliff.

A number of walkers were spotted at the top of the crumbling sandstone cliffs at West Bay, Dorset, which featured in the ITV crime drama Broadchurch. 

One man, who was part of a group, made light of the danger he was putting himself in by doing a Superman pose while another took his young child right to the edge of the cliffs that are prone to sudden rockfalls to take the 'perfect photo'.

The worrying snaps were taken by photographer Graham Hunt who said one slip could have resulted in tragedy.

He said: 'They must have been only two or three feet away from the cliff edge.

'Those cliffs are really unstable and prone to rock falls.

'They seem to be trying to get the perfect picture but one slip and you'd lose your balance and that would be it.' 

A spokesman for West Bay coastguard posted on social media: 'Our advice on the cliffs is very simple - stay well away. Admire it from a distance but keep yourself safe and keep your family safe.

'It seems like a never-ending cycle of people going up to the edge of the cliffs and our core advice has always been the same. 

'Before you go and take that picture, ask yourself is it really worth risking not only your own life, but the life of your family?'

Meanwhile at Peacehaven in East Sussex, coastguard rescue teams were called to the scene today following reports that a base jumper had been injured on the beach. 

A spokesman for the RNLI lifeboat from Newhaven  said: 'Our RNLI volunteers were called out shortly after 12pm to reports of person cut off.

'The all-weather Severn class lifeboat was launched and was sent to the scene. The rescue teams onboard used a 'Y' boat to access the man who was taking shelter on the rocks at the bottom of the cliffs.'

The shocking images come just a day after a little girl was pulled back from the edge of the Birling Gap after she was spotted peering over the cliffs which form part of Seven Sisters national park near Beachy Head.

The girl - who's hair was blowing in the strong wind - was just inches away from the sheer drop before she was swiftly pulled back by an adult.

Tourists have faced repeated warnings about the dangers of the East Sussex location, with its crumbling chalk cliffs frequently giving way in bad weather.  

Earlier today emergency services on the Yorkshire Coast were called out twice in 48 hours to rescue day trippers who ignored warnings and got stuck up cliffs.

Police said lives were being put at risk as people continued to ignore Government advice.

In the second incident on Bank Holiday Monday a coastguard helicopter was called to winch a man to safety from Flamborough Head in East Yorkshire.

He followed a path straight past a sign telling him not to go any further and ended up stranded above a 250ft drop.

The helicopter hovered above the casualty and the winch man descended to where the man was trapped.

As winds buffeted the aircraft he secured the man and both were then hauled back up.

The dramatic scenes emerged just 48 hours after police in Scarborough renewed warnings to visitors to stay away from the coast. 

It followed an incident on Saturday when 999 workers were called out to rescue a man who tried to scale cliffs after he had been partying with friends.

Police said the man had been with a group of four others having a campfire in the woodland at the bottom of the cliffs on Royal Albert Drive on Saturday afternoon. 

North Yorkshire Police said: 'As a result, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service were called along with the local coastguard team to join the police on scene.

'After a period of time, the male was brought to safe land where he was checked by paramedics from the NHS.

'Once his safety was secured, all of the group were given Covid-19 tickets along with firm words of advice.

'This is a serious example of how we must all follow the Government's advice and stay alert.

'Numerous emergency services' time was spent by four services and lives were put in danger to rescue a male who refused to follow the advice.

'Scarborough Police are urging people to take this as a serious warning and encourage people to follow all of the advice by the Government to save lives by staying alert.'

At Trevose Head, near Padstow, Cornwall, today two people died after getting into trouble in the water. 

Despite the increasing number of people on beaches and coastlines the RNLI lifeguard service is currently not in operation as it usually would be at this time of the year in Cornwall due to coronavirus, including the Search and Rescue helicopter. 

Ambulance, police and the coastguard were reported to be at the scene.     

Elsewhere in Torquay, a major operation was launched after a two-year-old child fell 15ft onto a busy Meadfoot Beach.

A spokesman for the Torbay Coastguard said today: 'The Ambulance service were called initially to reports of a two-year-old child who had fallen from the walkway on to the beach below.

'Air ambulance and land ambulances were in attendance and treated her at the scene.

'She was conscious when we arrived and probably had fallen about 15ft.

'She is currently being conveyed by land ambulance to Torbay Hospital. We attended to get the casualty from the beach to the ambulance.'

The scenes come as sun-worshippers continued to descend upon the country's parks and beaches today amid an expected 79F heatwave. 

With parts of the country set to bask in temperatures hotter than Athens, Nice and Barcelona today, more revellers are expected to flock to the nations beauty spots. 

However locals at English beauty spots appealed for day-trippers to stay away to avoid large crowds that could make it impossible for people to remain six feet apart.