A man's phone is thought to have been stolen while he was alone and injured on the South West Coast Path.

As reported in the Echo, a man in his 60s slipped and broke his ankle in the Swanage area on Sunday.

The man tried to phone for help but soon found there was no phone signal in the area.

Unable to walk, the the man attracted the attention of another walker on the path and asked him to make a 999 call when he reached an area with reception.

According to the police, the stranger, who identified himself as 'Harry' said he had no phone. The would-be Good Samaritan then took the injured man's phone and set off to find signal to make an emergency call.

A spokesman from Swanage Coastguard said: "Over 24 hours later, and neither the individual nor the phone have been seen since. The phone rings out when dialled, but isn't being answered.

"We would hate to think that this was a malicious act, but sad to say that at the moment it is being treated as theft and the police are making enquiries."

A spokesman for Dorset Police said they were called at 3.46pm on Monday, April 16, in relation to a theft that occurred the previous day.

"The victim, a man from London, had fallen and broken his ankle during a dog walk on the coastal path near the Western Mile Marker in Durlston, Swanage.

"The victim was approached by a man who introduced himself as 'Harry'. The victim gave Harry his mobile phone to seek signal and call for an ambulance.

"It is reported Harry left and did not return. No call was made to the emergency services by Harry. A second member of the public went to his aid and he was airlifted to hospital."

Fortunately, the second walker named John soon came by and assisted the victim, moving him to a sheltered area and lending him his own coat before heading up the hill to call the emergency services himself.

The coastguard spokesman said: "He gave perfect directions and was waiting for us to show us the correct location once we had rendezvoused at Verney Farm. Our thanks go out to John who couldn't have been more helpful."

The victim has contacted his mobile phone provider who has informed him the phone has been disabled.

Anyone with information should contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting incident number 16:280.