A highly experienced climber and former Royal Marine fell to his death off Anvil Point near Swanage in Dorset, when three safety clips popped out of the rock when he was ten metres up the cliff, an inquest has heard.
Paul Logan, a 55 year old company director and outdoor climbing instructor from Eastbourne in East Sussex, had served with the Royal Marines in some of the most inhospitable climates and the court heard he was a careful and conscientious mountaineer.
Anvil Point is a popular climbing spot, but can be dangerous
Death ruled to be an accident
At the Dorset Coroner’s Court in Bournemouth on Thursday 9th October 2025, the inquest heard that tragedy struck on the second day of a climbing holiday in Purbeck with his friend Gavin Hewitt.
Paul Logan fell backwards off the cliff into the rocky sea, suffering multiple injuries which caused his death. It was ruled by the coroner’s court to be an accident.
The friends, who had met at an indoor climbing gym in Eastbourne some years ago, were at Anvil Point on Thursday 15th May 2025, abseiling down the cliff before climbing back up, and were on their third ascent of the day.
An inquest at Bournemouth Civic Centre ruled that Paul Logan died as a consequence of an accident
“Clips came out of the rock”
Speaking in court, Dorset Coroner Brendan Allen said:
“Gavin Hewitt said that when they were attempting to climb back up, Paul was about two metres above him, and approximately ten metres up the cliff and above the water.
“He said it appeared that Paul slipped backwards and when that happened, all three of his safety clips popped out of the rocks and he fell down.
“Gavin Hewitt said that didn’t appear to be as a result of his equipment breaking, just that the clips came out of the rock.
“He can’t remember whether Paul Logan hit him on the way down or whether the rope brought him down, but does remember entering the water himself head first.
“When in the water, he noticed that Paul Logan was face down in the sea and unconscious. He was able to turn Paul Logan over onto his back, but he was already gone.
“Gavin Hewitt managed to climb out of the water and summoned help from other climbers, then the emergency services were contacted, the RNLI attended and recovered Paul Logan from the water.”
Experts who examined Paul Logan’s climbing equipment, helmet and clothing afterwards found no damage which might have contributed to the accident, and the official cause of death was recorded as multiple injuries caused by a fall from a significant height.
Emergency services have been called out to Anvil Point several times in the past three years when climbers have got into trouble
“Devoted, proud and adoring husband and father”
His widow, Caroline Logan, was not present at the inquest, and a statement from her was read out in which she said:
“Paul was as humble as he was extraordinary. He was an exemplary Royal Marine and a devoted, proud and adoring husband and father, and a loyal friend who looked for opportunities to help others.
“He was comfortable in himself, always capable, reliable, wise and with a wicked sense of humour, a man who made his dreams happen, he always strove to achieve and expected the best of himself.”
“He always faced any difficulties head on, always expecting to overcome them. Everything he did he took the time to understand and do properly, whether that was being a dad, climbing or growing vegetables.
“He loved nature and was never happier than when he was in the mountains skiing or climbing, especially when he was with his family.
“His health and wellbeing were a top priority, he worked hard to maintain physical and mental health, ate well, rarely drank alcohol and exercised regularly to ensure his fitness.
“I would like to record my sincere thanks to those people and services who tried to save Paul’s life, including the Lulworth, St Albans and Swanage coastguard teams, RNLI Swanage, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, ambulance services, police, paramedics, and passing climbers and divers.”
The Swanage inshore lifeboat was first to launch and quickly headed to Anvil Point
Swanage’s all weather lifeboat launched shortly afterwards
Served in desert, mountain and jungle
The court heard that Paul Logan left the Royal Marines with the rank of Warrant Officer Two and was described as an exemplary professional soldier who served with distinction in extreme pressurised environments including the desert, the jungle and mountains.
He was a strong cross country skier with several campaign medals to his name, and after leaving the Marines served as a company director advising on risk assessment and later became a rock climbing instructor, working towards a mountain leader qualification.
In a statement, Paul Logan’s mentor Chris Pretty, a mountaineering instructor, said:
“Paul was one of the best candidates for climbing instructor that I have met in 40 years. He knew instinctively what to do and how to do it, and also to ask questions about improvement.
“He would endlessly discuss learning new skills until he was absolutely clear about what to do, a rare and humble attribute.
“He particularly enjoyed instructing and supporting young people with learning needs to overcome their fears and to achieve what they considered impossible.”
Swanage’s Shannon lifeboat and a Severn lifeboat, which happened to be in the area at the time, returned to Swanage Bay after the incident
