A MAN who broke his leg after slipping on the coast crawled for three quarters of a mile in the dark before being rescued by a lifeboat crew.

Tim Robinson, 54, fell on rocks while walking on the beach under Golden Cap in west Dorset at around 4.30pm on Saturday.

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew launched at 7.10pm to help coastguards in a search for Mr Robinson and located him during a shoreline search, eight minutes later.

Two first-aid trained crew members, Tom Crabbe and Tom Wallis, went ashore to help coastguards assess Mr Robinson’s condition. Meanwhile, the lifeboat returned to Lyme Regis to pick up three further crew in order to steady the vessel in the surf when it was beached to take Mr Robinson aboard.

Mr Robinson had staggered and crawled for three quarters of a mile for more than two hours in the dark before being found.

Mr Robinson’s wife, Paula, who raised the alarm, started to walk along the beach from Seatown in order to look for her husband.

She said: “Luckily, Tim had a torch but no mobile phone.

“I saw a flicker of light and thought it must be him. But I picked up a rock, just in case it wasn’t.”

Jake Lanning, rescue officer for West Bay Coastguard, said: “The casualty had been walking over rocks at the western end of the beach, but had slipped and fallen sustaining injuries to his lower right leg.

“With no means of calling for help, the 54 year old man dragged himself off the rocks back onto the beach and then crawled in the darkness towards Seatown.

“Working with the RNLI Crew, the Coastguard Officers stabilised the casualties leg with splints and fracture straps, and kept the casualty warm and in good spirits. As the Coastguard rescue helicopter was not available due to fog, evacuation via the Lifeboat to Lyme Regis was deemed as being the best option for getting the casualty the quickest onward medical care.”

Jon Broome, who was in charge of the lifeboat for his first shout since qualifying as a helm, said: “It was a very well organised rescue by all involved.

“It seems Mr Robinson used sticks to help him stagger and crawl towards Seatown after the injury.”

Mr Robinson, who is a full time member of the Territorial Army, was taken to Dorset County Hospital by an ambulance waiting at Lyme Regis Harbour.

Mr and Mrs Robinson, who are from the Derby area, had been staying in Bridport on a short holiday.

Mr Robinson thanked the RNLI and emergency service for their help.

He said: “I just slipped on a rock and have two fractures of the right leg.

“Everyone who helped me was just terrific.”