A MAN who spent the last few nights sleeping out in the cold on the Dorset coast was airlifted to hospital.

Coastguards said the 25-year-old was suffering the effects of the cold weather having slept out in the open for several nights in the area of Dancing Ledge, near Swanage.

Swanage Coastguard Rescue Officers helped paramedics with the casualty yesterday before the coastguard helicopter arrived and took him to Poole Hospital for treatment.