HORRIFIED members of the public rushed to save an elderly paraglider who smashed into cliffs.

Despite the 180 feet drop they ran to the cliff edge to sit on the canopy of his parachute to stop the 77-year-old from plunging to the beach below.

The incident at Eype sparked a major emergency services rescue operation, which ended with the man from South Somerset being winched to safety by the Portland Coastguard helicopter.

It has also renewed calls for the locally-based helicopter to be saved.

Former Bridport firefighter Martin Cox, who owns the nearby Highlands End holiday park, was one of the first on the scene when emergency services arrived.

He said: “When I arrived there were two or three people sitting on the parachute to stop it slipping off the cliff.

“Then the fire service arrived and made sure the man was secured and the helicopter crew winched him off.

“This just proves again what an essential service the coastguard helicopter is to our coastline.

“The government should be looking at all the call-outs like this and take them into account as they plan to shut Portland.”

Mr Cox also praised the emergency services’ team-work, adding: “We often take it for granted and to see a real rescue highlights how important these services are in a rural area, when the majority of people doing it have full-time jobs or are on call for the emergency services.”

A Dorset Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said that two retained fire crews from Bridport and two technical rescue crews from Weymouth and Poole arrived just before 6pm to find the man dangling in his harness.

Using specialist crews and equipment they made him secure and awaited the helicopter.

Both West Bay and Lyme Coastguard rescue teams were sent to the cliff to assist in the rescue.

West Bay station manager Mark Collins said after assessing the situation it was decided the best way of getting the casualty to the cliff top was to use the coastguard helicopter to winch him up where paramedics treated him for an hour before taking him to Dorset County Hospital with a suspected dislocated hip.

Mr Collins said although the rescue was not hampered by bystanders, a lot of people put themselves at risk.

He said: “There were a lot of bystanders putting themselves at risk hanging over the cliff trying to get photographs.

“We had one casualty – we didn’t want any more.

“There must have been at least 30 people inside the fenced area to get to the edge of the cliff.”

Mark Rodaway, Portland Coastguard Rescue Co-ordination centre manager, said: “As a result of a concerted multi-agency response the injured casualty was able to be moved to safety to receive prompt medical attention.”

The South West Ambulance service sent a rapid response vehicle and a regular ambulance after getting the call at 6pm from someone at Highlands End.