Exmouth coastguards ring in New Year with cliff top rescue

EXMOUTH coastguards saw in New Year's Day on cliffs at Sidmouth after a woman plunged from the top of Peak Hill.

The incident began at 10pm on New Year's Eve when a woman believed to be in her 50s was reported missing.

She was spotted more than 100-foot down the cliff-face among gorse bushes and was airlifting to hospital by helicopter.

A Devon and Cornwall police spokesperson said: "At the time of the search police were becoming increasingly concerned about the missing woman due to her health problems.

"Her car was found at Peak Hill car park and a short time later the police helicopter, using the thermal camera, located the woman in undergrowth, some 30 metres down a cliff.

"Search and rescue winched her out and she was air-lifted to police headquarters in Exeter and transferred to Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital by ambulance.

"The woman was safe and well suffering only from bruising and hypothermia."

The incident was attended by police, coastguard and the RAF's search and rescue team.

Coastguards from Exmouth and Beer helped Devon and Cornwall police after a request for a cliff team to recover a person located over the cliff.

A coastguard spokesperson said: The casualty had become lodged in thick undergrowth approximately 30 meters down the cliff but the winch man from Royal Marine Chivenor was unable to access the casualty due to the undergrowth.

"A cliff man from Beer coastguard team was lowered to cut a path through the undergrowth to the casualty and to get access for the winch man.

"On arrival by the cliff rescue technician, the casualty was conscious but hypothermic and was eventually airlifted and transferred to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.