Seven members of the Beer Coastguard Rescue Team have received awards for saving the life of a young woman who had fallen down a cliff.

Emergency services including the Beer and Lyme Regis Coastguard Rescue Teams, police, ambulance and Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat were called out to a 230-foot cliff near Lyme Regis in January 2021.

Beer Coastguard Rescue Team set up rope rescue equipment on a narrow coastal path, and cliff technician Kevin Gosling was rigged up to go down the cliff and reach the casualty.

He found her halfway down, uninjured by the fall but clinging to shrubbery on a small ledge. Mr Gosling worked with the rest of the rescue team to bring her to safety.

Mr Gosling and six other members of the team received Commendations for Meritorious Service at a ceremony at the Axe Yacht Club on Thursday, April 11, attended by Deputy Chief Coastguard Matt Leat, Divisional Commander James Instance, Area Commander Drew Parkinson and Senior Coastguard Operations Officer Sam Houston. Friends and family of the rescuers also attended the ceremony.

An eight team member was unable to attend and will be presented with his award at a later date.

The commendation stated that 'without a doubt' the woman would have lost her life if it had not been for the rope rescue team and the support she received by phone from the National Maritime Operations Centre.