The North Cliff failure near Hayle, Cornwall, occurred on September 23, 2011, at approximately 5 PM, resulting from a deep-seated inclined fault plane that caused the rock mass to slide. The geology of the area primarily consists of sandstone and shale adjacent to granite, with concerns raised by experts regarding the potential for further collapses due to new cracks appearing along the cliff top. Geologist Richard Hocking documented the event, emphasizing the importance of caution when approaching cliff edges, especially after heavy rainfall.
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The collapse was recorded by geologist Richard Hocking - a soils and materials engineer for Cornwall Council.
More cracks have appeared along the cliff top, prompting fears of another collapse.
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The collapse of the cliff is thought to have been caused by a deep-seated inclined fault plane on which the rock mass slid.
http://www.cornwallinfocus.co.uk/geography/geology.phpCornwall can really be imagined as a finger of 400 million year old Devonian slates along with Carboniferous sandstones and shales pointing across the Atlantic Ocean towards the USA, with a backbone of granite. . . . .