Coastguard called to help man trapped on cliffs

West Bay Coastguard was called out on Friday to reports of a man trapped on cliffs just west of Golden Cap.

He had been walking on the mid-cliff levels when he had become disorientated in an area of dense vegetation.

Coastguard Officers from both the West Bay and Lyme Regis Rescue Teams were mobilised, and the RNLI Lyme Regis Lifeboat was launched in support.

As the teams were deploying, an update was received from Solent Coastguard NMOC (National Maritime Operations Centre saying that the man had found a safe route back down to the beach.

An RNLI crew member swam ashore from the Lifeboat to meet him and conduct a welfare check.

As no further assistance was required, all assets were stood down to return to station.

When walking on the coast, please consult a map and stick to clearly marked paths and tracks.

Make sure you are prepared by taking a fully charged mobile phone, adequate clothing, sturdy footwear, sun protection and water.

Using a free smartphone app like ‘OS Locate’ would also mean you could give an accurate grid reference to emergency services, drastically cutting down the time it takes for help to get to you.

But if you find yourself in difficulty or if you are concerned for others, do not hesitate to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.