Bystanders save life after fall from iconic sea wall

Bystanders have saved a person who fell from an iconic breakwater by throwing a life ring into the sea and tethering the other end.

The victim fell into the water from the Grade I listed Cobb at Lyme Regis, Dorset, on Monday afternoon, HM Coastguard said.

The person was being "submerged by the waves" in a heavy swell, the organisation said.

Members of the public, who reached the victim with the life ring and raised the alarm, made a vital difference, it added.

Coastguards, who were in a crew room on the landmark sea wall when they were called, deployed a rope rescue system and technician within minutes, they said.

The RNLI Lyme Regis lifeboat and a police helicopter were also alerted.

In a Facebook post, Lyme Regis Coastguard said: "We would like to extend our gratitude to the members of the public on the scene today.

"Your immediate action—running for help, raising the alarm, and successfully deploying life rings—made a life-saving difference."