A WOMAN was airlifted to hospital after suffering a leg injury on a busy weekend for rescuers across Dorset.

She was taken from St Catherine's Chapel at Abbotsbury by the coastguard rescue helicopter yesterday afternoon.

The casualty was met at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester by Wyke coastguards.

Elsewhere, coastguards and the lifeboat from Swanage were alerted on Saturday afternoon after a walker lost two border collies over cliffs at Anvil Point.

The body of one dog was found in the water but there was no sign of the other.

Dive rib Fathom And Blues contacted coastguards yesterday morning after a diver made a fast ascent.

The dive doctor gave advice but the diver displayed no symptoms and was not transferred to the compression chamber.

Portland coastguards organised a tow for the yacht Alcyone after its engine failed, with one casualty taken to Poole.

The Albowen suffered a similar fate and a tow was organised from the Italian Job and DayDreamer.

And Wyke coastguards were despatched when a kitesurfer began struggling in Portland Harbour - but he made it safely to shore. On Saturday night coastguards were called after five orange flares were spotted at Winspit near St Albans Head. Investigations revealed they were Chinese lanterns.

Earlier the Weymouth RNLI lifeboat was launched after fishing vessel Sunrise took water off Portland Bill.

The Alice Rose stood by the vessel - which had five people onboard - until it was escorted to Weymouth.

Rescuers kept a lookout after a sea kayaker got into difficulties off Swanage, but the kayaker reached Durlston Bay safely.

And Portland coastguards were called around 7.31pm after a vessel - with four people onboard including two children - ran out of fuel.

The vessel was towed into the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy and coastguards offered safety advice.