A LOST yachtsman sparked a challenging search of dense Purbeck woodland, which was carried out as night fell and temperatures plummeted.

The lone sailor dialled 999 around 8pm on Thursday (Sept 27) to inform the coastguard he'd become lost somewhere along the River Frome near Wareham.

However, it was quickly established he'd actually travelled up the much smaller River Piddle.

As darkness fell the yachtsman, along with his dog, left the boat and attempted to clamber up the riverbank - at one point he'd been up to his waist in thick mud.

A Kimmeridge Coastguard spokesman said: "Kimmeridge coastguard team, along with Poole coastguard team, Southbourne coastguard team, Poole lifeboat and a coastguard senior coastal operations officer carried out a lengthy, difficult search from the Bestwell area through dense woodland and thick reeds to locate the casualty.

"With temperatures falling, mist coming in and in darkness, time was of the essence.

"Eventually the casualty was located and access to him and his dog was made."

Uninjured, the man was walked out of the area to a waiting coastguard 4x4 to be warmed-up and checked over.

The coastguard spokesman added: "The search teams and lifeboat stood down and returned to station around 11pm.

"The lifeboat crew were able to recover the yacht and towed it back to a birth in Poole.

"Good job by all involved in what escalated into a very difficult search and extraction."