Teen escapes serious injury after 60ft cliff fall

Cliffs in the background with front of lifeboat in bottom right hand cornerImage source, RNLI
Image caption,

Two RNLI lifeboats from nearby Swanage responded to the incident

  • Published

A 15-year-old boy who fell 60ft (18m) from a cliff while trying to take a picture has "miraculously" escaped with only minor injuries, police have said.

He was on a school trip at Old Harry Rocks in Purbeck, Dorset, when he lost his footing and fell on Thursday.

Two lifeboats from nearby Swanage RNLI station attended the scene, along with officers from Dorset Police and paramedics.

The RNLI said the boy had been "virtually uninjured" in the fall, and had suffered "just a few cuts and grazes".

In a post on social media, Purbeck Police confirmed the boy had "miraculously" only suffered minor injuries in the fall.

Swanage Coastguard, which also attended the incident, said emergency crews had been "astonished by the absence of serious injuries".

The iconic chalk formations mark the most eastern point of UNESCO World Heritage Site the Jurassic Coast, and are a popular vantage point for tourists.