A CLIMBER was airlifted to hospital after falling 18 feet from a Swanage cliff-face on Saturday.

Coastguard officers and RNLI volunteers rushed to the scene after receiving reports that a man had fallen badly at one of the climbing sites near Anvil Point at around 3.40pm.

1The inshore lifeboat crew, all-weather lifeboat and coastguard team from Swanage were joined by the service's helicopter, both RNLI lifeboats based in the town and cliff rescue teams from Swanage and St Albans Head.

The casualty was conscious and breathing, and crews strapped him to a spinal board before lifting him into the helicopter.

A spokesperson from the coastguard said: "The inshore lifeboat arrived just after the helicopter, and two crew members were put ashore to assist the helicopter winchman prepare the casualty for evacuation.

"In the meantime the helicopter flew to Portland to refuel before returning to winch up the climber and take him to Southampton General Hospital for further examination. "The all weather lifeboat stood slightly offshore to provide a communications link back to Solent Coastguard.

"Once the casualty was safely in the helicopter, the lifeboats were released to return to Swanage."

Footage courtesy of the RNLI

Crews received a 999 call, but the spokesperson was not able to say who made the initial contact with the service.