THE NATIONAL Trust is removing a 'highly dangerous' set of beach steps on the Jurassic coast because people have been ignoring signs not to use them.

The steps, which are cut into the cliff face, provide the only access to St Gabriel's beach which lies between Seatown and Charmouth.

They were taped off by Dorset County Council's Countryside Ranger Service in September last year because of the risk of collapse due to coastal erosion.

The National Trust put up warning signs but people have continued to use the steps over the winter.

West Dorset National Trust property manager Helen Mann said: "The steps could fall into the sea at any time.

"There has been considerable movement of the cliff face since the decision to close it last autumn and what was a potentially hazardous descent to the beach is now extremely dangerous.

"The cliff is subject to under-cutting, subsidence or rapid erosion at any time and the health and safety of beach users has to be paramount."

The steps provide the only means of access to St Gabriel's beach via land, and with their removal it will be accessible only from the sea.

The trust is in the early stages of working with the Countryside Ranger Service to provide a future alternative access to the beach, with geological experts from the World Heritage Site currently surveying the area.

National Trust regional communications officer Alex Brannen said he did not expect the beach to be open again this year.

Work to remove the steps will begin on Sunday under the National Trust Working Holiday scheme and should be finished by Tuesday, May 10.

Parts of the Dorset coastline are highly unstable. As well as the recent cliff falls at St Gabriel's, thousands of tons of earth crashed on to the beach at Burton Bradstock in April.