Giant boulder smashes through building into man's bedroom

Man said he had lucky escape because he would normally have been at home

The destruction caused to a bedroom after a giant boulder fell and smashed through the wall of a home in Hastings on Thursday

A giant boulder weighing several tons has smashed through the wall of a man's bedroom.

Firefighters were called to the home in White Rock on the seafront in Hastings, East Sussex, at about 3pm on Thursday after reports the structure of the building was dangerous.

During a significant rockfall, the boulder hit the back of the building and broke through the wall into the occupier's bedroom, the fire service said.

The rock ploughed a hole through the wall, covering the bed with broken masonry and debris.

Firefighters and building inspectors ruled the building was structurally unsafe and all the residents were evacuated.

The man living in the property told East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) it had been a lucky escape because he would usually have been home at the time of the rockfall, but he had been out for the day.

ESFRS said: "At 3.06pm firefighters from Hastings and Battle were called to a residential property on White Rock, Hastings, following reports of a dangerous structure.

"Following a significant rockfall at the rear of a property, a rock weighing several tons had hit the building and destroyed a bedroom.

"The occupier explained to the crews that he would normally have been home when the rockfall occurred, however he had luckily gone out for the day."

Crews and a building inspector from Hastings Borough Council judged that the building was structurally unsafe and all its residents were evacuated.

A further structural assessment of the building together with an inspection of the cliff face was due to be carried out by Hastings Borough Council.

Firefighters are urging the public to take extra care around cliffs, keep away from edges, never try to climb them and read and observe warning signs.

Press Association