She could have lost her life, but she only lost her shoes – a woman who slipped 100 feet down a cliff between Beer and Seaton escaped with minor injuries and was winched to safety from a ledge.

The dramatic rescue happened yesterday afternoon (Thursday, January 28) and involved Beer and Lyme Regis coastguards, Sidmouth lifeboat, the police and coastguard helicopters, air ambulance and Hazardous Area Response Team.

The woman had slipped off the coast path, fallen 100 feet and ended up on a ledge 80 feet above the rocks.

She couldn't be seen from the clifftop, so the police helicopter flew above to pinpoint her location, and give directions to the coastguard team.

Sidmouth lifeboat crew helped to direct a coastguard rope technician down the cliff, and the coastguard search and rescue helicopter attended in case the woman's injuries meant she had to be winched off the cliff.

'Undoubtedly a life was saved'

A spokesperson for Beer Coastguard said: "We had to cut our way through a hedgerow to allow us to set up the equipment in the field behind.

"Our technician was lowered down the cliff but could not see the casualty until about 10 feet above her.

"He secured her into a harness to prevent her from falling over any further, he assessed her for any injuries and as these were minor injuries and she could walk, we decided to winch them both back up.

"She had lost her shoes while slipping down the cliff so it was taken slowly, not wanting to cause any more injuries.

"She was safely brought to the top and handed over to paramedics for further treatment of injuries and shock."

The spokesperson added that 'undoubtedly a life was saved' by the multi-agency rescue operation.

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