Tributes to ‘warm and funny’ woman killed by cliff landslip

Charlotte Blackman was killed when 400 tonnes of rock slid off the cliff at Burton Bradstock in Dorset.

The 22-year-old, from Heanor, was with her father and boyfriend on Hive Beach, near a popular holiday park on the famed Jurassic Coast when the cliff section collapsed at 12.30pm on Tuesday.

The two men were pulled free by bystanders but Miss Blackman, who had been walking directly under the rock fall, could not be reached. Her body was retrieved nine-hours later.

Her uncle, Douglas Blackman, said: “She was on holiday with her whole family, her mum Rachel, dad Kevin, sister Sinead, little brother Mitchell, and boyfriend Matt. My brother and her boyfriend and her little brother were there when it happened. I understand the boyfriend got her little brother away into the sea to get him from it. She was a lively, fun-loving woman, who had her whole life in front of her.”

Miss Blackman was a volunteer with Derbyshire Autism Services Group, where she worked individually with people with autism, including children, and helped give their families breaks.

Manager Margaret Reeve said: “She was a very genuine person, very warm, very funny, and had a great deal of time for people.

“Charlotte was one of those people who could walk into a room and make everybody smile, she could make you laugh. She was a very dedicated worker.”

Hive Beach yesterday remained fenced off by the police.

Dorset County Council environment officer David Evans described the landslip as a “most unfortunate accident”adding that recent heavy rain that severely flooded parts of Dorset and Devon had increased the risk.