Family of six rescued from cliffs

Six people, including two children, have been rescued from cliffs in Kent, coastguards said.

The people, believed to be a family, were airlifted from a ledge on the east side of Dover harbour, near St Margaret's Bay, on Monday evening.

Coastguards said they climbed 25ft (7.6m) up the cliffs after they were cut off by the tide at about 1615 BST.

Tony Hawkins from Dover Coastguard said the family were very cold but did not appear to need hospital treatment.

The were winched to safety by helicopter at about 1830 BST.

'Far too dangerous'

Mr Hawkins told BBC Radio Kent: "The family, we believe, had been cut off by the incoming tide and they'd climbed the cliff.

"Our inflatable went in under the cliff and landed two of our crew but it was very obvious that it was too dangerous for the family to climb down the rocks and for them to be taken off by sea.

"The safest way was to lift them by helicopter."

He added: "They've just landed a number up on top of the cliff at the coastguard station and they're just about to winch the remainder now.

"They're as well as can be. As far as we know at this stage none of them will actually need hospital treatment but they are very cold they've been there for at least a couple of hours."

He urged people to check tide times before they walk along the bottom of the cliffs.