Daring cliffhanger Neil Atkin has been called in to help stabilise crumbling cliffs overlooking Brighton Marina.

Shoppers in the Asda car park have been transfixed by the sight of Neil and his supervisor Marcus Raby hacking away at the face, sending loose chalk and flint cascading on to the undercliff walk below.

The walkway was closed this winter after exceptionally wet weather, followed by frost, weakened the 100ft cliff. Thousands of tonnes of rock were dislodged but nobody was hurt.

Neil, 21, from Bangor, north Wales, and Marcus, 27, of Stafford, are working their way along the cliff face as a giant excavator scoops away mounds of rubble currently blocking the path.

The pair, who take turns to work four-hour shifts, have been using a pneumatic drill, spade and pickaxe to hack at the cliff face.

They have to watch out for razor-sharp flints jutting out from the chalk, which could cut their ropes.

Neil, a rock climber who learned his trade in the peaks of Snowdonia, is constantly buffeted by wind and rain but says the spectacular view makes up for the discomfort.

Neil, who has also worked on stands at Old Trafford, home of Manchester United, said: "It is cold, wet and slippery. The cliff is quite unstable and lots of chalk is ready to go, so we are taking off overhanging or loose rock."

Marcus, who has worked on the Millennium Dome and London Eye, said: "It is really hard, tiring work, but I have been doing it for five years and have become pretty fit.

"The flints are like razor blades. You are working on a potential avalanche and you try to work it so you don't cut the rock from under your own feet."

Marcus and Neil are halfway through a three-week contract with Brighton and Hove Council.

A council spokeswoman said: "We have got engineering consultants advising us and one of the things we are looking at as an interim measure is putting up some fencing, similar to that used to stop avalanches."