A man who was exploring Dancing Ledge on the Purbeck coastline in Dorset, sparked a multi agency emergency response when he fell from a rock ledge sustaining serious head injuries.
Due to the inaccessibility of the coastal location, both Swanage lifeboats launched, while the air ambulance and the Coastguard Rescue helicopter 175 from Lee on Solent also headed to the incident, which happened around 1 pm on Friday 28th March 2025.
Both Swanage lifeboats went to the aid of the man along with the air ambulance, paramedics and coastguard teams
Fallen down onto a lower rock ledge
The walker was trying to get to the lower rock ledges when he fell at the well known beauty spot on the South West Coast Path.
Coastguard teams from Swanage, St Albans, and Kimmeridge also attended the incident, along with crews from South Western Ambulance Service and Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue service.
The coastguard teams could only get so far with their vehicles and then had to walk down to Dancing Ledge
“Evacuation plan formulated”
Swanage Lifeboat Station reported:
“The D-class inshore lifeboat (ILB) arrived at the scene to find local coastguards with the casualty, who was on a sea-level ledge after their fall.
“Paramedics and an air ambulance were also at the scene, as first aid was given and an evacuation plan formulated.”
The Dorset and Somerset air ambulance lands at Whitecliff in Poole, near to the hospital
Flown to Poole Hospital
Various options were considered but it was decided the quickest way to get the man to hospital was to use the air ambulance.
Swanage Coastguard reported:
“Having received medical treatment at the scene, the man was flown to the Poole Hospital helicopter landing site at Whitecliffe.
“The air ambulance was met by the Poole Coastguard team who had cleared the site to enable it to land safely.”
The man was then taken by ambulance to Poole Hospital to receive emergency care.
Meanwhile, the Swanage lifeboat crew offered two paramedics at Dancing Ledge, a lift back to Swanage in the all weather lifeboat, to save them having to climb back up the cliff and the long walk back to Spyway Barn.
Further information
- More about Swanage Coastguard and Swanage RNLI
