PORTLAND Coastguards helped rescue two stranded boats, an injured pensioner and a dog which had fallen off a cliff.

At 1.50pm, Portland Coastguards broadcast a help message after a 25 foot sailing yacht named Finili with three persons on board suffered engine failure as it was sailing outside Christchurch Harbour.

The 20 foot Hardy-motorboat Sandpiper responded and towed the yacht through the harbour.

At 8.25pm, Portland Coastguard helped rescue a dog that had fallen off a cliff in Devon.

Exmouth Coastguards requested assistance from Portland to rescue the dog that had gone over the cliff at Geo Needle at Orcombe Point in Exmouth.

Coastguard officers went to meet the owners, and the local RNLI team found the dog at the base of the cliff. The dog was uninjured in the fall, but the owners are taking it to the vets for checks.

Shortly after, Portland Coastguards received a call from the ambulance service requesting assistance after a 76-year-old man had fallen off the path and had a suspected fractured arm.

The incident happened at 8.32pm at Durlston Castle, and the Swanage Coastguards were tasked to attend the casualty. The man was then recovered and taken to hospital.

At 11.20pm last night, a 999 call was received from the crew of a 14 foot dory boat which had run out of fuel at the entrance to Wareham Channel in Poole Harbour.

Due to the time of day and location, the Poole Inshore Lifeboat was tasked to attend the scene and towed the boat, and its crew of two men, back to Poole Quay.