ANOTHER part of the ruined village of Hallsands was lost to the sea at the weekend when a landslide saw part of a stone barn disappear into the sea.

On Sunday, the village was cordoned off by police after a 200 tonne section of the cliff fell away.

They had been alerted to the landslide when Peter Williams, who owns one of two properties in the village, contacted them and then evacuated his property.

Mr Williams, who lives in London, was staying in Sea View over the bank holiday weekend when the landslide occurred.

Hallsands has a history of being blighted by coastal erosion.

In January 1917, during a violent storm, the fishing village collapsed into the sea and 29 homes were lost but miraculously no one was killed.

The village had been protected by a bank of shingle but in 1897 dredging began as part of plans to extend Devonport Dockyard which left the village vulnerable.

Following this week's landslide, concerns were raised over the safety of the access down to the village and the viewing platform that gives visitors a better view of the ruins.

A spokesman for South Hams Council said: 'As a safety precaution, South Hams Council has closed the viewing platform and the access path leading to it.

'The council will be appointing geotechnical specialists who will be looking at the platform over the next few days.

'The platform structure was placed at the site by the council and opened in 2001 and is a popular area for the public to view the old village of Hallsands.'

Police have restricted access to the village and nearby footpaths while structural engineers assess the stability of the house.