2 September 2010 Last updated at 10:58 ET

Man injured in 100ft Torquay cliff fall

A man has been taken to hospital after falling 100ft (30m) down cliffs in south Devon.

The 53-year-old called for help on his mobile phone after he fell near the Osborne Hotel in Torquay on Thursday morning, coastguards said.

A lifeboat and the cliff rescue team was sent to help but could not reach him, so a rescue helicopter was called from Portland, Dorset.

The man was airlifted to Torbay Hospital with head and arm injuries.

The man made a 999 call to the ambulance service which then contacted Brixham Coastguard.

He was winched off the cliff by the helicopter because the instability of rocks in the area prevented the Torbay lifeboat and the cliff rescue team from reaching him.

Brixham Coastguard said the man was "very fortunate to survive".

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