Man and dog survive 200ft cliff fall

North Yorkshire Police said it was “absolutely remarkable” that the man was not killed when he fell on the coastline north of Scarborough while trying to rescue his dog.

Police were alerted by the coastguard at about 4:10pm on Monday to reports that a man from Rochdale – who had not been named – had fallen at Little Cliff, near the village of Cloughton (pictured below).

The 53-year-old, who is believed to have been on holiday in the area, was located in an awkward position at the bottom of the cliff after a 200ft fall, a police spokesman said.

He was picked up by a helicopter from RAF Leconfield, near Hull, and airlifted to Scarborough General Hospital where he was detained.

The spokesman said his injuries were not life-threatening and included a broken leg and wrist. The man’s dog also survived the fall.

Footage was released of the rescue as the helicopter crew navigated the rocky terrain to winch the man to the safety. His dog was also rescued by the team after being secured in a yellow stretcher and hoisted up onto the helicopter.

“It is absolutely remarkable that this man has survived a 200ft fall down the cliff face and escaped with injuries that are serious but not life-threatening,” Inspector Bruce Prendergast of North Yorkshire Police said.

“It is testament to the hard work and bravery of the coastguard and helicopter crew, who managed to extract the man from the bottom of the cliff in difficult circumstances, that he and his dog survived.”