Elderly man rescued after falling off cliff into gorse near Sidmouth

Firefighters and HM Coastguard rescued a 75-year-old man who had fallen off a cliff into gorse bushes just below the cliff top near Sidmouth on Wednesday (16 August).

Emergency services were called to the scene at Salcombe Hill just before midday.

The fire service initially got a secure line on the man to stop him falling further, and the coastguard set up a rope system and sent a technician over the edge.

They then strapped a harness onto the man, who was lying face down and away from the cliff, and managed to get him upright before safely bringing him back to the top.

The incident reportedly happened as the man had gone too close to the edge when trying to take a photograph.

An HM Coastguard spokesperson said: "[The fire service]... managed to get a secure line on him to stop him falling further, we set up a rope system and put a rope technician over the edge.

"The rescue was not straightforward as the casualty was face down and lying away from the cliff.

"After getting a harness on the man we were able to get him upright and then bring him safely back to the cliff top with help from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.

"This could have been a far worse outcome, the incident happened because he tried to get a photo and got too near the edge."