@emilyhstott

The chairman of Kingsdown Angling Club has spoken out over the district council’s failure to make an eroding ramp safe for beach-goers.

Richard Appleford fears that the remains of the ramp which has been eroded by the sea could be a danger on the beach.

When the ramp first started to erode two years ago the council put in an extension so that the angling club could still dismount their boats.

However, the continual wear by the tide meant that the entire ramp was later removed and subsequently “dumped” on the beach where it remains now.

The council extended the railings to protect the public from the dangerous eight foot drop to the beach but failed to move the posts where the ramp used to be or remove what remained from the sand.

Mr Appleford, chairman of the angling club since 1990, said: “The council did say they would remove them but never bothered to come and get them.

“It’s a danger to the children especially now they are slippy with the wet weather and if any of this stuff floated out to see it would become a hazard.

“Now that the ramp is gone and there has been no replacement we haven’t been able to run our competitions for about two years.”

“It’s a danger to the children especially now they are slippy with the wet weather"- Richard Appleford.

Mr Appleford explained that the anglers can not dismount to get into the boats which means that the club is suffering.

He also explained that a member of the district council promised to do something about the abandoned pieces but nothing has happened.

He added: “They say it’s a lack of money and then we see all this money being spent on Deal sea defences while we’ve got an eroded ramp which means we can’t even use the angling club.

“I don’t see why Kingsdown should have less safety than Deal.”

Dr Steve Williams, the club president wrote to Deal and Dover MP Charlie Elphicke who in turn contacted the district council but they are still waiting for a response.

The district council had not commented as the Mercury went to press.