THE Purbeck coast is unlikely to suffer a landslip as dramatic as that in Lyme Regis according to expert Mike Goater.

Tuesday's landslide destroyed 400m of the World Heritage Jurassic Coast between Lyme Regis and Charmouth.

But the environmental engineer says there was less chance of a similar slip along Purbeck's 60-mile section.

Mr Goater, from Purbeck District council, said: "Normally these sort of events are triggered by high rainfall.

"The rainfall has not been particularly high this month.

"I don't know if there's another issue there, like added water to the cliff from another source.

"We have slips on our coast every year but fortunately the majority of our coast is not developed.

"When you develop you bring in other sources of water.

"Then if something breaks, that adds a source of water which was not there before."

Purbeck council looks after coastline from Poole Harbour in the east to White Nothe in the west.

Most of the land has yet to be touched by building and the authority only carries out work to combat erosion in developed areas.

The most significant area is at Swanage, where there is around a mile of coastal defence works, involving concrete or stone sea walls and timber groynes.

The council continues to work on shoreline management plans alongside neighbouring authorities.

But Mr Goater did warn that when it came to events like landslips, nothing could be taken for granted.

He added: "We had a landslip in Durlston over the winter of 2000, so yes, it's always possible.

"You can never rule anything out - it's nature at the end of the day."