Police discover three bodies at Beachy Head
THREE bodies have been found at the foot of cliffs at a beauty spot.
The gruesome discovery came after reports someone was seen plunging 500ft from the cliffs at Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex.
Police, coastguard and lifeboat crews recovered the bodies of two men and a woman. The deaths were not connected, not believed to be suspicious and police believe the victims may not have died on the same day.
Officers were called to the cliffs at 3.30pm on Wednesday.
With the help of lifeboat crews they recovered the body of a 58-year-old man from London.
At 5pm, while the recovery operation was in progress, a second badly decomposed body, believed to be that of a woman, was found nearby.
Forty minutes later a third body, believed to be that of another man from London, was discovered some distance away.
It was reported that a hunt was under way for a fourth person believed to be missing, but police last night dismissed those claims.
At more than 500ft, the famous headlands are home to the highest chalk cliffs in Britain. More than 300,000 people visit each year.
Eastbourne District Council recently banned families of suicide victims leaving shrines at Beachy Head over fears it could encourage more deaths. The council was criticised when it began removing memorabilia. However, a spokesman said any mementoes would be stored for a month so they could be collected by family members.
A police spokesman said: “Police are investigating after three bodies were found at the foot of cliffs at Beachy Head on Wednesday.
“None of the deaths is linked and there would appear to be no suspicious circumstances.”