WEDNESDAY afternoon saw the HM Coastguard Search and Rescue Team from Watchet called out to help an injured walker on the beach at St Audries.

Having slipped and fallen on the rocks on the beach, a holiday home owner from Home Farm Holiday Centre dialled 999 for an ambulance as they couldn’t get up and walk back to the shoreline.

With the incoming tide beginning to flood back onto the beach, South West Ambulance asked for help from the Coastguard and the Devon Air Ambulance.

Coastguards were on scene in under two minutes, having been passing the location, and they were backed up by the rest of the team soon after.

Although not severely injured, the walker needed to go to hospital and it was decided the quickest and safest way to get them back ashore was to fly them off the beach and to the top of the cliffs into a field on the top of Rydon Hill.

Coastguards helped get the casualty into the helicopter while other team members set up a landing site in the field.

Having guided the aircraft in, they transferred the walker to an ambulance, releasing the air ambulance back to its base.

“Coastguards would like to remind anyone visiting the shoreline to take care amongst the rocks and shingle as well as near the mud and soft sand which is present on all our beaches,” said a spo0kesman.

“Anyone requiring assistance on the coastline should dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.