A WOMAN was stretchered to safety after falling and injuring her ankle on the coast path.

The 51-year-old holiday maker had been walking the coast path near Eype with two friends when she slipped and fell in wet conditions.

West Bay Coastguard Rescue Team was paged to help the casualty who it is believed had a broken ankle.

Seven team members, including the Deputy station officer, were on scene within 17 minutes of getting the pager message. They found the woman and her friends about 250 yards up from the base of the cliff.

A spokesman for the West Bay Coastguard Rescue Team said: “Her ankle was stabilised with splints and fracture Straps and she was kept warm and in good spirits until the ambulance arrived.

“Once she had received some pain relief, the casualty was transferred into the teams rescue stretcher for transport to the waiting ambulance.”

Due to the wet and slippery conditions, the team decided to take a longer route with the stretcher to avoid the steep cliff path. They instead used an inland footpath to stretcher the women to safety.

The team met the re-positioned ambulance at the roadside. The woman was then transferred into the care of the South Western Ambulance Service for onward hospital treatment.

The coastguard team added: “We wish the casualty a full and speedy recovery and hope that she can still enjoy some of her holiday.”