Additional reporting by Oliver Leonard

A pensioner whose home sits on the edge of a cliff hit by landslides says she “won’t be moving for anyone”.

The Road of Remembrance in Folkestone has been closed since trees and debris were sent tumbling in January - before a second slip in February.

Eight months on, ground investigation works have begun, with tests being carried out to help inform how further collapses on the coastal route can be prevented.

Throughout the period, a clifftop house has been left perched in what appears to be a perilous position above the slope from which the trees and bushes have fallen.

But the owner, 80-year-old Marian Walters, insists she feels safe.

Speaking to the media for the first time, she told KentOnline: "I don't think it's fair to say I am teetering on the edge [as] I am far from it.

"I'm on a floating platform and I've got 14-foot pilings at the back of my drive, so even if the land did slip I would be okay.”

She has lived in her home in Priory Gardens for 48 years and has no intention of looking for a new place to live.

"I am very happy here and I won't be moving for anyone. I have been made to feel safe,” she said.

"The way Kent County Council has dealt with the situation has been incredible - they have been so helpful.

"They are doing tests on the stability of the land and I am told the work being carried out will secure the safety of the house for 120 years."

Kent County Council (KCC) has confirmed the Road of Remembrance will not reopen this year - much to the frustration of some residents.

Marine Crescent's Judi Varona says the closure is causing her a traffic headache every day.

The 65-year-old said: "Getting from The Leas to The Harbour Arm and the Shoreline development is only accessible via The Old High Street.

"That's no good for disabled people as it's such a tough walk.

"We still don't know when the Road of Remembrance is actually going to reopen and that, of course, has made people cross and is something which is a real problem now.

"You can't easily drive up to Folkestone anymore and that's impacted me on a day-to-day basis.

"All the traffic has to come down Harbour Road and Tontine Street and that's if you are coming from Sandgate and Hythe too.

"It puts an extra 10 minutes on a one-way journey and that's not at peak hours."

KCC says that since mid-June, contractors have been undertaking pre-works in the Road of Remembrance and the adjacent route, The Bayle.

Tree surgeons have exposed the embankment by removing trees and vegetation to see the extent of the landslip.

Meanwhile, contractors have undertaken the excavation and installation of eight launch pits to allow for borehole sampling and cone penetration testing.

This will ensure delays are not encountered due to buried structures or services.

Following the completion of these latest steps, ground investigation works began on Monday.

Lasting for three weeks, they are carried out to test the material properties of a site to prevent further landslips.

KCC says the road will only reopen when it is safe to do so.

Among the events disrupted by the closure is the annual Folkestone half marathon, with an alternative route now in place for the race on Sunday, September 29.

A spokesman said: "We have been working with specialist geotechnical contractors and the adjoining landowners to resolve the many complexities surrounding the ground investigations phase of this project.

"Some of the challenges included land ownership, archaeology, ecology, and restricted access for larger testing equipment.

"We are pleased to confirm these have now been worked through by contractors resourcing specialist equipment and the adjoining landowners allowing access for us to undertake testing within private land."

The town has been hit by at least eight landslips this year, with heavy rainfall, the weight of trees and the make-up of the ground blamed.

The ground - known as the “Folkestone Formation” - is a combination of medium to coarse-grained sand with weakly cemented sandstones. This makes it prone to erosion and being unstable.

KCC’s cabinet member for highways and transport, Neil Baker, previously said: “A complex situation like this one ultimately leads to a complex solution.

“This is an essential road closure to ensure the future of the Road of Remembrance is successful and safe.

“I know this will be very disappointing news to the residents of Folkestone, particularly how it affects certain events in the town.”