Stair Hole rescue: Man hanging off cliff saved by helicopter

A man hanging 70ft [21m] high from the side of a cliff has been rescued.

Lulworth Coastguard Rescue Team said the man had been climbing at Stair Hole in Dorset on Saturday but became stuck in a "precarious position".

A "large-scale emergency response" was triggered, which also included Dorset Fire and Rescue Service and Kimmeridge Coastguard.

The coastguard helicopter was eventually able to retrieve the climber who was not seriously hurt.

A spokesman from Lulworth Coastguard said: "After hasty assessment of the incident, Lulworth requested immediate support from a rescue helicopter.

"The man had climbed up from the beach at the western side of Stair Hole. He had stopped when he couldn't climb any further, becoming stuck in a loose and precarious position high above the beach".

He said due to the "extremely inaccessible location of the gentleman" a rope rescue was initially unsuccessful.

He added: "The helicopter managed to carefully manoeuvre their winchman to firstly traverse and then come from below the casualty, securing him in a harness."

After flying a short distance to a safe location, the climber was deemed to be a "little cold and visibly shocked" but "none the worse off for his ordeal", the coastguard said.