There were dramatic scenes at Portland Bill last night as emergency services raced to prevent a casualty from being swept out to sea after his car went over a cliff.

Police, ambulance, fire, coastguard and life boat crews were all called to the scene when the injured driver, a Weymouth man, became trapped in his vehicle at the cliff base. 

Police said no one else was in the vehicle and no other car was involved.

A spokesman from Dorset Police said they received a report from the ambulance service at 11.24pm that a car had gone over the cliff.

The incident occurred near to the obelisk at Portland Bill Lighthouse.

A spokesman for Wyke Coastguard said they were paged at 11:15pm to back up their 'flank team' from Portland Bill.

Both teams had been tasked to reports of a casualty, trapped in their vehicle at the base of the cliff.

The spokesman added, on arrival the teams found the vehicle on its side and "precariously close to the fast incoming tide."

The conscious casualty was immediately cut from their vehicle by crews from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue. 

A spokesman from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said crews from Portland and a technical rescue team from Weymouth were called to Portland Bill car park by the Ambulance Service at 11.23pm.

"There were reports that a car had driven off the cliff. When they arrived crews found one vehicle over the side of the cliff but not in water. The occupant was still in the vehicle," they said. 

The spokesman added fire crews worked with teams from South West Ambulance Service and the coastguard to rescue one male casualty.

"This was time critical due to the tide," they said. 

The Portland crews remained in attendance until 1.30am assisting the ambulance with casualty care.

Coastguard members provided water rescue cover, along with Weymouth Lifeboat, who had been tasked to wait offshore due to the risk from the very heavy swell.

A spokesman for Weymouth RNLI said conditions were freezing with strong winds and it was feared the casualty could be swept out to sea. 

Once free, the casualty was assessed and transferred to a stretcher before being conveyed to the top of the cliffs, by hand using a chain technique.

Due to the scale of the potential injuries both the coastguard rescue helicopter (Rescue 175) and Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance were put on standby.

The coastguard spokesmand said: "On arrival, Rescue 175’s coastguard paramedic worked with the South West Ambulance Serivice (SWAST) technician to stabilise the casualty, whilst being assisted by other team members."

The man sustained injuries to his neck, hip and back. His injuries are serious but not believed to be life-threatening.

Nobody else was in the vehicle and no other car was involved.

Once fully stabilised, the casualty was taken by ambulance to hospital for further treatment. 

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: "The driver, a man from Weymouth, was taken to Dorset County Hospital.

"His injuries are serious but not believed to be life-threatening."