RECKLESS tourists risked their lives by reaching a selfie stick over a cliff edge to take a picture.

These were two of several visitors to Birling Gap who chose to stand at the top of the crumbling cliffs this weekend.

Andie Rox saw people on the cliff as she visited the beach below with her family and friends at about 3.30pm on Sunday.

The 46-year-old said: “We were at the beach because the weather was so nice.

“The coastguard helicopter came over the whole beach and seemed to be looking for someone.

“It got closer to the cliff tops and we could see there were people stood right on the edge.”

Andie said the helicopter attempted to warn the people about the risks of their actions.

She said: “The helicopter started to announce over the tannoy that they should keep away from the edge.

“I was bemused though because it seemed like they were being ignored, the people weren’t moving.

“We thought ‘what are you doing? get away from the edge’ and my friend got quite anxious about it.

“The helicopter came and went, but there were people up there all day.”

Andie is a keen photographer and said people often wanted pictures on the cliff top. She said: “It’s a very high cliff and people shouldn’t go near the edge, but I think the daredevil in some people makes them want to do it.

“Sometimes it’s the opportunity to get a photo and capturing the moment, but it’s not setting a great example for kids.

“I’m in photography groups online and a lot of my friends do amazing landscape photography up there, but they don’t go up to the edge.

“I think when you’re a photographer you really look into health and safety in your surroundings.”

This is not the first time people have been too close to the edge of Birling Gap cliffs.

In 2017, Korean student Hyewon Kim fell 200ft to her death as she had her picture taken at the top of the cliffs.

She had asked fellow tourists to take a photograph of her on the crumbling cliff’s edge and jumped to pose for the camera.

But, when she landed, she lost her balance and stumbled backwards, falling off the cliff.

NPAS Redhill posted an image of people on the cliff edge taken from its helicopter.

The caption said: "We were having a lovely day yesterday until we saw this.

"Please don't sit on the edge of the cliff top, it is incredibly dangerous.

"You don't know what you are sitting over.

"These people were in a fenced off section of the cliff top."