A 28-year-old man is lucky to be alive after plunging 150ft down a cliff onto the beach.

The man suffered fractured ribs and a suspected broken leg during the incident at Durdle Door at 5.50pm on Sunday.

A second man, who may have been attempting to rescue his friend, was trapped 20ft from the top of the cliff, according to Portland Coastguards.

Now they have urged people to take care when walking near cliff edges.

Emergency services were alerted by passers-by and the coastguard rescue helicopter, Coastguard 106, went to the aid of the men, both Polish.

“We airlifted the man from the beach, straight to A&E at Dorchester,” said a coastguard spokesman.

“We don’t know how they managed to get into that situation but he was lucky that his injuries were not life threatening.”

There has been speculation that the second man, aged 22, attempted to go to the aid of his friend after he fell from the cliff but was unable to reach him.

He then became stuck on the cliff face.

He was rescued by the Lulworth Coastguard Cliff Rescue Team and was checked over by paramedics at the scene.

He was not physically hurt but was said to be shaken by the incident.

The men are believed to have been visiting Dorset from their homes in Wembley, north London.

The coastguard spokesman added: “Cliffs are extremely dangerous locations – stay on the cliff path and away from the edge.”

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