Coastguard teams were called to the rescue when a 60-year-old walker slipped and broke his ankle on the South West Coast Path. 

Yesterday, teams from Swanage attended the injured man on the South West Coast Path directly south of Verney Farm to the west of the Western Mile Marker.

The crew were initially tasked to assist the ambulance service, but thanks to their 4x4 vehicle and local knowledge, they arrived before paramedics. 

Once on the scene, they set about making the man comfortable whilst monitoring his condition and administering first aid.

A spokesman for Swanage Coastguard said: "Waterlogged, muddy and slippy ground conditions coupled with the steepness of the cliff side at that location meant that extraction on foot was never a possibility and so rescue helicopter 175 was dispatched from Lee-on-Solent.

"One option was to convey the casualty to hospital, but it was decided to fly him to the ambulance - which was parked on hard ground a mile or so away - where he could be attended to by the paramedics."

Once the injured man was safely in the helicopter, the team returned to try to find temporary accommodation for Rummage, the man's dog who had been walking with him. 

The spokesman said: "Sadly, there was no room for Rummage in the helicopter and so the team looked after her until a kind hearted member of the local community came forward and offered to take her in for the night."