Tributes to cliff landslide victim (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Tributes to cliff landslide victim

8:43am Wednesday 25th July 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

Tributes have been paid to a young woman who was killed when she was buried by 400 tonnes of rock in a massive landslide on a beach.

Charlotte Blackman, from Heanor, Derbyshire, was on holiday with her family and boyfriend when part of a 160ft-high cliff collapsed and sent a mountain of rocks plummeting on to the sand below.

The 22-year-old was found buried under piles of rubble at the popular holiday spot in Burton Bradstock, Dorset, following a nine-hour search operation.

Her uncle, Douglas Blackman, said: "I don't have many words at the moment, to be honest. 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 one-to-one with people with autism, including children, and help to give their families a break.

The group's manager, Margaret Reeve, paid tribute to Miss Blackman: "She was a very genuine person, very warm, very funny, and had a great deal of time for people. She was a very good volunteer. People always spoke highly of her, she was very well thought of."

Mrs Reeve said Miss Blackman had been with the group for a number of years and hoped to go into a career working with people with autism. Her work stemmed from a deep desire to help, Mrs Reeve said, adding: "Charlotte was one of those people that really cared about others."

Police, the fire service, ambulance service and the coastguard were all called to deal with the landslide at 12.30pm on Tuesday. It hit just 400 yards from the Freshwater Beach Holiday Park as scores of holidaymakers enjoyed the hottest day of the year.

Witnesses said Miss Blackman, the oldest of the three siblings, was walking along the beach with her boyfriend and father when they were caught up in the landslip. The two men were pulled from the rocks by bystanders, but they were unable to locate the woman, who was walking directly under the rock fall, according to reports.