A MAN with a broken ankle was airlifted to hospital from the east side of Portland.

The Portland Rescue Coastguard Helicopter scrambled at around 4.50pm yesterday afternoon.

The 56-year-old was found in an inaccessible spot with a broken ankle and in shock.

He was flown to the landing site in Dorchester before being taken to Dorset County Hospital.

Coastguards were tasked earlier yesterday morning to help Dorset Police following a report of a suspicious metal believed to be an unexploded mortar shell, located at Middle Beach on Studland.

The device was safely detonated and the cordon lifted.

Elsewhere, rescue teams were called to a report of a red flare seen west of the ferry port in Poole Harbour.

The incident happened at around 3.30pm.

The harbour vessel ‘Vigilant’ investigated and confirmed a flare had been released.

Coastguards were called at around 7.30pm yesterday after a fire broke out on a 31-foot motor sailor with two people onboard in Poole Harbour.

Later yesterday evening, rescue teams were alerted to a dinghy drifting in Poole Harbour.

The Poole RNLI Lifeboat found the boat had been cut adrift with no one involved.

They towed it back to the station and Dorset Police were informed.

The incident happened at around 22.40pm.