Coastguards fear they could trigger further landslips and cause someone to lose their life.

Our alarming photograph and video footage was taken by a shocked passer-by, near the South Bay pool star map.

He said: "They were generating quite an audience on the beach watching them and, as well as dangerously throwing rocks and stones, also hurled insults at onlookers."

The three children, aged around 10-12 years old, were clambering up the 70ft high cliff.

Two boys can be seen on a crumbling soil ledge – throwing stones and mud clumps at a third boy below to make him slip.

Eventually he does but, luckily, managed to stop falling, which could have resulted in serious injury.

The passer-by, who did not wish to be named, added: "People on the beach were looking. One woman kept saying "I can't watch," and was pretty disturbed by it."

But the boys shouted: "What you looking at?"

A coastguard spokes-man said: "Not only have these youths put themselves at risk of falling but they are creating the risk of further landslides.

"What may look like "good fun" could very easily end up costing a life – either their own, an innocent by-stander or indeed a rescue worker."

He added: "We urge everyone to stay well clear of these sites as the ground is very unstable."

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