ONLOOKERS have blasted campers for ‘dicing with death’ by pitching their tent at the foot of an unstable cliff.

A young family spent the night underneath cliffs at Burton Bradstock beach, less than 24 hours after a landslide at nearby East Cliff, West Bay.

The campers were also just down the coast from the spot where holidaymaker Charlotte Blackman, 22, was killed by a landslide on Freshwater beach, just over a year ago on July 24, 2012.

Shocked Doug Randle, 58, of Weymouth, said he saw a man and a woman emerge from the tent with a toddler moments after he took this photograph, above.

He said: “I was aware of the recent landslip at West Bay so I was so surprised to see a couple, along with their small child, camping underneath these unstable cliffs.

“Without a doubt this family was dicing with death and risking their lives.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

“They emerged unhurried and seemingly oblivious to the potentially lethal situation they had been in.

“They were camping right next to signs telling them there is a risk of serious injury or death.

“I wish I’d gone up to them and said: ‘why didn’t you see the signs?’ “I can’t believe that even if they arrived in the dark they didn’t have enough illumination to see the signs.”

Mr Randle, who runs an aerials and satellite dish installation business, was waiting for the Hive Beach Cafe to open along with his partner Maureen Joyce, 60, when he spotted the tent.

Miss Joyce said: “You could see that the base of the cliff was further back than the top of the cliff and there has been erosion.

“There is a very dangerous overhang of the cliff.

“I don’t know what else can be done to safeguard some people from themselves.”

A Portland Coastguard spokesman reissued the warning about people staying away from unstable areas of cliffs after landslips.

He said: “Do not camp anywhere close to the cliff face.

“The whole of the coastline is extremely fragile.

“If you are going to walk along the beach, walk along the shoreline.

“Enjoy, but be conscious that it’s fragile.”

The cliff fall at East Cliff, West Bay, on Friday afternoon was small, but warnings have been issued for people to be on guard for further cliff falls.