A FISHERMAN who slipped and fell at the bottom of a cliff has been rescued by ambulance and coastguard crews.
The man was fishing on the beach at Whitecliff Bay, near Bembridge, last night (Saturday), when he slipped and fell on the rocks, suffering a suspected broken ankle.
His friend dialled 999 at around 10.30pm, but ambulance crews were unable to locate the holidaymakers and alerted the Solent Coastguard.
Facing the difficult task of winching the injured man up the cliff, in the dark, the coastguard turned to the Bembridge RNLI Lifeboat for help shortly after 1am.
The lifeboat crew placed the fisherman on a stretcher and took him by sea to the nearby Bembridge lifeboat station.
He was then conveyed by ambulance to St Mary's Hospital.
Bembridge RNLI Lifeboat spokesman John Keyworth said: "The lifeboat was already out, assisting a fishing boat with a flat battery, when the crew saw torches at Whitecliff Bay and went to help.
"It was easier for us to convey the man by sea than to move him up the cliff, so we took him to shore that way.
"It wasn't an easy rescue and I think it was the first day of his holiday."