A CLIFF fall along the south coast of the Isle of Wight this afternoon sparked a major coastguard search of the area as a precaution.
The police, Solent Coastguard and the Needles Coastguard Rescue Team spent the afternoon in the area between Chilton Chine near Brighstone and Brook Bay after the Maritime Coastguard Agency received a 999 call from a dog walker at around 2pm.
The fall was the fourth in the immediate area recently, according to Tom Wyeth, a member of the Needles Coastguard Rescue team.
He said: "We were tasked at 2.20pm to check the affected stretch of coastline due to the cliff fall. This one happened sometime over the past 48 hours.
"The police were involved to ensure no one was in the area and we liaised with the National Trust to inform them of what was going on.
"Our team searched the shoreline and the cliff top and gave it the all clear. We eventually left the scene at 4.55pm.
"It doesn't appear as if anyone was caught in the fall.
"The police were there to advise people to stay away from the area, but in the area where it happened, you don't normally get dog walkers.
"My understanding of the cliff fall is that the cliffs are drying out well, which has resulted in the frequent falls lately."
A police helicopter, which uses thermal imaging technology, was also involved in the search.