PORTLAND Coastguard helicopter was scrambled to a diver suffering from decompression sickness off Swanage Bay earlier today.

The male diver was rushed to the decompression chamber at Poole Hospital after showing signs of the potentially fatal condition.

A spokesman from Portland Coastguard said the skipper of the dive boat Skua made a call requesting urgent assistance at 12.24pm.

Portland Coastguard Rescue helicopter 106 flew the diver to the landing site at Whitecliff where he was transported to hospital by land ambulance.