The weekend proved to be a real mixed bag. Low lying mists hanging over the cliffs made the air chilly and unpredictable. The expected crowds stayed away with just a steady stream of hardened walkers staying to watch the festivities. So when we arrived at Belle Tout lighthouse bed and breakfast we were ready for some tlc. I knew the lighthouse had been lovingly restored but was astonished by the pure elegance and attention to detail that David and Barbara Shaw had lavished ……

See BLOG details and photos…

On Saturday 2nd April and Sunday 3rd April I will be signing copies of my book at the Countryside Centre Beachy Head.

It will be a fun packed weekend as they celebrate National Park Welcome Weekend. Family activities are planned with a free shuttle bus to get you there. don’t miss out. Full details are on the Events page or go to www.beachyhead.org

For more details about my book go to www.untoldstoriesbeachyhead.com

Don’t miss out and fingers crossed for more glorious weather. 

Just as exciting, I will be staying at the beautifully, newly refurbished bed and breakfast Belle Tout lighthouse. Full report and pics next week.

When I began to write my book I had no idea that suicide was such a taboo subject. The darkest journeys were by those left behind unable to share or express their grief without a profound sense of shame. I doubted many times whether I too should banish the subject to the shadows of others hearts or drive to have it spoken openly.

If no other person in this world ever opens my book I won’t mind because one man has touched me with his warm and gentle review of it.

I bought this book as I am interested in the History of Beachy Head and the reasons why people are attracted to Beachy Head. I found it very cleverly and honestly written with a careful sensitivity with each really sad story. I could not read this book fast enough it is addictive. And then I found my brothers name in the back. It is real life yesterday, today and tomorrow, deeply sad but at the same time very interesting and comforting in a way for those who have experienced Beachy Head.

This review sums up beautifully all the untold stories of Beachy Head and why they must be told. His brother will never be forgotten. This is not a contemporary book, it is simply, as Ross says  ’real life yesterday, today and tomorrow’

Thank you Ross.

On Monday 14th March a couple, in their 60′s, were found dead. At 9 a.m police arrived at the clifftop to investigate an abandoned car,  nearby were a pile of clothes……

See BLOG for more details.

Early on Sunday morning (Feb 27th) the police were called after reports that a Range Rover had hurtled over the cliffs near Cow Gap. When rescue teams arrived they found debris from the car strewn on the downs with the severly damaged car halfway down the cliff face. But where was the driver? ………

See BLOG to find out

On Sunday February 27th 06.30, as a bright winter sun rose over Beachy Head, a car was spotted abandoned in the nearby car park.  The alarm was raised and Eastbourne RNLI were quickly scrambled to the shoreline below the towering cliffs. As they approached they could hear cries for help coming from a man who had landed halfway down the jagged rocks….

See BLOG for more details.

I rang the producers of BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey today to find out when my interview was going to be been aired.  It appears that, despite inviting me on to Danny Pike’s show, they now felt that the content may cause too  much attention being drawn to Beachy Head!

 As my book is called Untold Stories Beachy Head I think the clues were there.  Read more on my BLOG…

Danny Pike at BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey was amazing. As this was my first radio interview I had no idea what to expect……… read more on my BLOG.

I have decided to record the deaths at Beachy Head as a new page under the Stats title. If you are interested in the figures and stories then please navigate there.

Also, the main points of my blog can now be found as BLOG on the main titles with the news posted right here. For a start I have discovered a play that is touring the country called Beachy Head which has been produced by Analogue and is showing at Jacksons Lane in Highgate, north London, from Wed 9th – Sat 12th February . For more info go to BLOG.  I’ve bought tickets for Saturday and can’t wait. See you there. 

On Tuesday I will be recording a radio interview for BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey. Having never given a radio interview before it’s daunting to say the least, will tell you all about it on next weeks blog.

Getting people to know about your book takes time and persistence, so I was delighted to arrange another book signing at Birling Gap Manor , date yet to be confirmed. Watch this space!

As sad as it is I will keep a public record of the deaths at Beachy Head. Mainly, for researchers but also to wish peace to those that chose this desperate outcome.

On Monday 17th January it was reported that a rucksack had been found in a car park with personal effects inside. Dover coastguard and the emergency services were alerted and at around 4 pm the body of Guy Leadbetter aged 49 from Cork Street Dublin  was found. As the lifeboat crews were attempting to recover Guy’s body, another man, Christopher Dick aged 42 from Somerset, was seen falling from the towering cliffs. With diminishing light the crews had to abandon the recoveries until the following morning. It is not thought that the two men were connected in any way and their deaths are not being treated as suspicious.

Then on Wednesday 19th January, further along the coast at Peacehaven, emergency crews were called on once again when a Ford Mondeo was witnessed as driving over the cliffedge. The cliffs here rise to a lower 300ft than the highest point of Beachy Head but are no less lethal. When the lifeboat landed on the shore they found the car on it’s roof in a rock pool. The body of the 45 year old man was alone in the car and has not yet been named.  

On a lighter note I was a guest lecturer yesterday at Roehampton University, Surrey, where I studied for my MA. I sometimes feel uncomfortable talking about my book as I want to get the message across that it is not all about suicide. There are untold stories of smugglers, lighthouse keepers, coroners, shipwrecks and murder. The audience were students studying creative writing and had loads of questions about why I’d written this book and how. When you have a passion you forget that to others it seems like a great achievement, to me I simply wanted to uncover the mystery of this beautiful place and tell the stories that are usually just whispered into the wind.