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Two rescued after Lyme Regis Cobb falls

News imageChris Allen Lyme Regis CobbChris Allen
Lyme Regis Cobb is a 12th Century harbour wall

Two men have been rescued after they slipped on a Dorset landmark and one of them fell into the sea.

The first man fell 23ft (7m) into the water from Lyme Regis Cobb harbour wall - made famous in the 1981 film The French Lieutenant's Woman - at about 15:10 GMT on Saturday.

He was treated at the scene for "mild hypothermia", the coastguard said.

The second man slipped onto the stone. He was taken to hospital suffering from "severe back pain and extreme cold".

Lyme Regis Coastguard said: "These two casualties slipped and fell on the high wall of the Cobb which is extremely slippery at this time of year."

It urged visitors to "be very careful, mindful of the weather conditions and heed all safety advice".

Meryl Streep's character in The French Lieutenant's Woman walked to the end of the Cobb in a storm.

The structure also featured in Jane Austen's novel Persuasion.