A group of youths has been filmed engaging in 'tombstoning,' a perilous activity involving leaps from high structures into water, off a 65-foot cliff at Dead Man's Cove in Plymouth, Devon.
The practice sees individuals hurl themselves into the water from elevated points, and Dead Man's Cove has long been a site for such adrenaline-seeking behavior, with participants sometimes forming queues.
Video footage captured the youngsters jumping from the cliff's edge, plunging into the sea mere yards from visible rocks. Onlookers noted that the tide was not high, increasing the danger of striking submerged hazards.
"I have seen tombstoning at this location before, but this time seemed extra dangerous given it was not even high tide and the rocks below were clearly visible," said James Preston, a local resident who witnessed the events. "I stood there with other onlookers and we all cringed whilst the jumps were performed. This really shouldn't be allowed to happen in my opinion."
Preston, 40, added that a misstep could result in severe injury and expressed surprise at the lack of measures to prevent such activities. "Thankfully this was not the case but it feels like it is simply a matter of time if this going to happen again," he stated.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has previously cautioned against tombstoning, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of water depths and the presence of hidden underwater hazards. "The depth of the water can dramatically change with the tide, and what was a deep pool at lunchtime might be a shallow puddle by teatime," an agency spokesperson noted. "Hidden hazards may be lurking beneath the surface, and you may not know they're there until you're hurt or worse."
Past incidents at Dead Man's Cove underscore the risks associated with tombstoning. In October 2016, Vincent Wagstaff, 39, died after misjudging a jump. In 2010, teenager Ben Thompson was left paralyzed from a similar incident at the site.
The danger is not confined to this location. In August, Dunbar RNLI issued a warning after a 14-year-old sustained a serious leg injury from jumping off a harbor. In 2024, 15-year-old Jack Dolan suffered severe brain damage after tombstoning off a pier in Margate, Kent.
Authorities have expressed frustration that peer encouragement and audience reactions, such as clapping, can fuel the dangerous behavior. "It is infuriating because we know the consequences but they just say 'you’re spoiling our fun'," coastguard officials have said. "Go to a proper diving thing if you want to dive off something into the water but going off here is absolutely ridiculous."