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| Whitby landslip exposes human bones at 'Dracula graveyard' | Whitby landslip exposes human bones at 'Dracula graveyard' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Human bones have been exposed at a church graveyard in Whitby after a landslide took away part of the cliff. | |
| The large landslip, at the cliff on which St Mary's church stands, has exposed ancient graves when rock started to crumble. | The large landslip, at the cliff on which St Mary's church stands, has exposed ancient graves when rock started to crumble. |
| The church, founded around AD1110, includes the graveyard that provided the inspiration for a scene in Bram Stoker's horror novel Dracula. | The church, founded around AD1110, includes the graveyard that provided the inspiration for a scene in Bram Stoker's horror novel Dracula. |
| The human bones have been collected and will be reinterred, officials said. | The human bones have been collected and will be reinterred, officials said. |
| The landslide has been blamed on a broken drainage pipe which has become damaged and fallen away. | The landslide has been blamed on a broken drainage pipe which has become damaged and fallen away. |
| 'Only bones' | 'Only bones' |
| This led to further heavy rainfall saturating the soil leading to more of the cliff falling away. | This led to further heavy rainfall saturating the soil leading to more of the cliff falling away. |
| A stream of water can now be seen flowing out of the rock face where the bones are believed to have been recovered. | A stream of water can now be seen flowing out of the rock face where the bones are believed to have been recovered. |
| St Mary's rector, Canon David Smith said: "The cemetery has been closed for over a century, so if any graves are exposed it's only bones. | St Mary's rector, Canon David Smith said: "The cemetery has been closed for over a century, so if any graves are exposed it's only bones. |
| "If anything is exposed we collect and reinter them in the same churchyard away from the edge." | "If anything is exposed we collect and reinter them in the same churchyard away from the edge." |
| More cracks have since appeared in the cliff top at St Mary's churchyard and warning signs have been installed along the pathway. | More cracks have since appeared in the cliff top at St Mary's churchyard and warning signs have been installed along the pathway. |
| Residents and business owners in the area are now concerned further landslides may occur should the cliff be subjected to more heavy rainfall. | Residents and business owners in the area are now concerned further landslides may occur should the cliff be subjected to more heavy rainfall. |
| Barry Brown, owner of Fortune's Kippers on Henrietta Street, below the cliff, voiced his fears of further movement. | Barry Brown, owner of Fortune's Kippers on Henrietta Street, below the cliff, voiced his fears of further movement. |
| He said: "There is still stuff coming down. It is currently no worse, but not a lot better either. | He said: "There is still stuff coming down. It is currently no worse, but not a lot better either. |
| "They started work this week but it all depends on the weather." | "They started work this week but it all depends on the weather." |
| Church responsibility | Church responsibility |
| The church, a famous setting in Bram Stoker's Dracula, was built more than 900 years ago, with the cemetery closing in 1865. | The church, a famous setting in Bram Stoker's Dracula, was built more than 900 years ago, with the cemetery closing in 1865. |
| Canon Smith said: "St Mary's is the oldest building left in Whitby. | Canon Smith said: "St Mary's is the oldest building left in Whitby. |
| "It is a Grade I listed building and still the parish church so it would be a loss to the community." | "It is a Grade I listed building and still the parish church so it would be a loss to the community." |
| The land, including the cliff itself, is the property of the church, and so it is their responsibility to carry out repairs. | The land, including the cliff itself, is the property of the church, and so it is their responsibility to carry out repairs. |
| Canon Smith added: "The church has been trying to get things done and we have had a civil engineer and people working to sort it out. | Canon Smith added: "The church has been trying to get things done and we have had a civil engineer and people working to sort it out. |
| "They've been trying to find where the water was coming from and making the cliff edge more secure." | "They've been trying to find where the water was coming from and making the cliff edge more secure." |
| Whitby town councillor, Steve Smith, said the church building was not under threat. | |
| He said: "The church is close to the edge of the landslip, some work has been done by a mini digger to do exploration work where the slippage is. | |
| "I'm assured by the rector of the church, Canon David Smith that the church itself is built on a solid rock foundation." | |
| The landslide comes after five houses in Aelfleda Terrace, Whitby, were demolished in December after heavy rain and flooding washed the steep bank beneath them away. | The landslide comes after five houses in Aelfleda Terrace, Whitby, were demolished in December after heavy rain and flooding washed the steep bank beneath them away. |