Coastguard and the Police say a missing father who has not been seen for nine days may have fallen to his death in a landslide and could be lying under several tonnes of chalk.

Andrew Butts, 27, vanished 10 days ago after walking near the cliff top at The Warren at Folkestone. 

His wife, Angela, contacted police when he failed to return to the family home.  He had switched his mobile phone off which was unusual.

Coastguards who joined in the search for Mr. Butts have voiced concerns about Folkestone's increasingly hazardous cliffs and fear the missing man could be underneath one of the many recent rock falls.

Significantly large landslides have occurred in recent weeks at the Warren Campsite, Copt Point by the east cliff pavilion, Jocks Pitch at Wear Bay Rd and near the cliff top cafe at Capel where the footpath goes down into The Warren and more than 100,000 tonnes of chalk crumbled into the sea at St Margaret's cliff near Dover.

Landslides have become common along the southeast coast recently because of torrential rain.

Glenda Johnson, Kent Police assistant media services manager, said: "We are having to consider the possibility that Mr Butt has had some kind of accident because there have been no sightings of him."

Sgt Gerry Meers, of Kent police, said: "Mr Butts' disappearance seems to be out of character and his family are very concerned about his safety. We would appeal to anyone who has seen Andrew Butts to contact us on 01303 850055." Coastguard Station officer Ian Leighton said: "There have been so many rockfalls in the past two weeks that it is very possible Mr. Butts could be underneath one of them. "This is especially so considering his stable home life and the fact that he took nothing with him - clothes, bank books or passport."