A COUPLE are throwing their support behind the coastguard campaign after they were involved in a cliff rescue. Diane and Geoffrey Howlett, from Preston, Weymouth said they won’t forget the day in January 2009 when they went walking at Ringstead Bay and say that local knowledge is essential for all lifesavers. The couple had been walking along the coastal path to the left of the beach when Diane stepped aside to let a group of young walkers up the path. She stepped onto a boulder with green slime on and slipped ten feet down the cliff onto rocks. She cracked her clavicle. Geoffrey, 69, dialled 999 and because the coastguard rescue helicopter was busy on another job he was put through to the Somerset and Dorset Air Ambulance station in Ringwood. He was told by the person answering the phone to give directions as they did not know where Ringstead Bay was. He said: “They didn’t know where we were. I said: ‘Put me through to the coastguard,’ and they said they couldn’t because they were the air ambulance HQ. “Luckily a passing walker had the co-ordinates and I gave them to the air ambulance and then they found us.” He added: “I was very worried. My wife was lying there like a broken ragdoll below me and walkers were gawping at her. I was very worried. “It was unbelievable. It was lucky that the walker had the knowledge. I thought the emergency services could type in Ringstead Bay into the computer and it would come up but it didn’t.” Diane, 69, said: “The local knowledge is very necessary. We have got a lot of cliffs and climbers and divers in this area. “There are so many things to consider in this area.” She added: “It’s also a great place to live. Lots of people love living here- it’s a very popular area. “And the supercentre could bring more jobs to the area.” The couple have been busy collecting signatures for the Echo’s Save Our Lifesavers petition that aims to get the government and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to site a new coastguard supercentre in the borough of Weymouth and Portland. With the help of staff at the Co-operative Store in Preston they have raised more than 150 signatures so far. Under current plans – that are going through the second consultation process until October 6 – Portland Coastguard and eight others would be closed around the UK. Portland Coastguard would be axed by 2014. The stations would be replaced by a central Maritime Operations Centre in Southampton or Portsmouth – but no plans are set in stone. The campaign already has more than 6,000 signatures.