30 years ago today Isle of Wight hippies refused to leave their homes on the edge of a precipice at Blackgang, despite Police warnings they were in ‘grave danger’. The new age travellers had been lodging in the former nudist camp of Southview, even though the landslip had cut back the cliff edge by 50ft a few days earlier. The earth movement caused by torrential rain had already propelled an empty caravan and 2 cars off the cliff edge. A 60ft section of the nudist camp had fallen into the sea. Residents claimed that the landslip had left the area looking something akin to an earthquake zone. At the nearby Blackgang Chine theme park, the original cowboy town had fallen victim to earth movement. 1 of the travellers – an Australian called Till – said:
“These are our homes and we plan to stay here. We have been offered bed and breakfast accommodation, but we do not want to live in conditions like that.”
“This is not a police state, and we cannot force people out of their homes. These travellers are being regularly reminded of the dangers they are facing.”
The previous day, Police had sealed off the road to Southview as the sound of smashing glass, falling trees and crumbling masonry indicated the local properties were continuing their descent into the sea. 
