A HOLIDAYMAKER was rescued by lifeboat crews after falling and injuring himself on a headland on the West Somerset coast.
Two volunteer lifeboat crews and a coastguard helicopter rescued the 35-year-old, who had been clambering around Hurlestone Point, in Porlock Bay, when he slipped yesterday evening (Sunday).
Friends of The man, who had injured his head, raised the alarm and both Minehead's lifeboats were launched shortly after 7pm.
The man was quickly located at the base of a gully, conscious but in pain.
The crews gave him first aid then placed him in a stretcher and moved him to a more accessible spot from where he could be winched into the helicopter and taken to hospital for a check-up.
Pictures: Minehead Lifeboat Station
Minehead RNLI local operations manager Dr John Higgie said locations such as Hurlestone Point and other headlands between Minehead and Ilfracombe were best avoided.
He added: “People such as fishermen who frequent them regularly know their way around them – but they are also very well aware of the dangers.
“Clearly the casualty tonight was in a pretty perilous position, injured, at the bottom of a cliff and with the tide coming in.
Pictures: Minehead Lifeboat Station
"Luckily the people who were with him had some means of raising the alarm and fortunately we were able to get to him in time.
“But his situation illustrates very well the danger people can find themselves in simply as a result of missing one step.
“We want people to continue enjoying our local coastline but the rule must always be to stick to the marked footpaths and not to take any chances.”
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