The lifeboat and coastguard were launched on Saturday after reports of a paraglider had hit the cliff face at Beer Head.

A paraglider was taken to hospital after crashing into the cliff face at Beer Head.

Beer Coastguard and Sidmouth Lifeboat were called out at 11.37am on Saturday, April 29 after a member of the public dialled 999 to report the incident.

Terry Hoare, station manager, said: “A 999 call from a member of the public reporting a paraglider taking off from the cliff top at Beer Head had then turned and hit the cliff face West of Rattenbury cave before he was seen spiralling down into Hooken landslip.

“We were on scene within 10 minutes of being paged to find that the casualty had recovered himself to the cliff top and was with his friends who were about to take him to hospital, he had suffered facial cuts and may have broken a bone in his foot. All units were stood down and returned to station.

“He managed to get to the bottom and get up the path, he was lucky and I think he knows he was lucky.”

Solent Coastguard tasked Sidmouth Lifeboat to join the search but the crew was stood down on route after the paraglider was found and taken to hospital.

The lifeboat returned to the station at 12.57pm.