Preparations are being made to demolish a row of cottages overlooking a North Yorkshire harbour after a landslide left them in danger of collapse.

Torrential rain has led to the gardens and patios behind Aelfleda Terrace, in Whitby, sliding down the steep slope below them and they are now 30ft lower than the 150-year-old terrace.

The landslip also saw a huge slab of rock and earth, about the size of a minibus, crash into another terrace of homes below.

Engineers are worried five homes on Aelfleda Terrace will collapse and plans are being drawn up to demolish the houses.

Work is expected to begin today although it is understood the steep, tight location will present demolition experts with a number of problems.

The terrace of fisherman’s cottages overlook the seaside town from the east side of the River Esk and are only a few hundred metres from the historic Whitby Abbey.

One resident, Jude Knight, said: “I’m just devastated, I’ve lost everything, I’ve lost 26 years of my life, that’s how long I’ve had this property. I feel very sad and I feel very angry.”

The other threatened homes are thought to be holiday cottages.

A Scarborough Borough Council spokesman said: “Owners have been allowed back into their properties briefly to retrieve their personal belongings, but the whole area has now been cordoned off.”