COASTGUARDS are urging people to keep track of tides after a teenage couple were rescued near Lyme Regis.

The Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched at just after 6pm on Sunday to the incident between the town and Black Ven.

The incident comes a week after a man suffered a broken ankle after being cut off by the tide at the same spot and was airlifted to hospital.

On Sunday, Liam Rigden, 19, and is girlfriend Cara Brindley, 16, both from Somerset, climbed the cliff as the tide came in 500 metres east of the new Lyme Regis sea defences.

Coastguards on the shore helped the couple down to the beach where they were taken aboard the lifeboat and returned to the safety of Lyme Regis Harbour.

Liam said: "We are very grateful to the lifeboat crew and the coastguards.

"Next time I will make a point of checking the tide tables."

Last week, a 31-year-old man was airlifted to hospital after he was found injured lying on a cliff above the beach as darkness fell.

He was found following a search by coastguard rescue teams, and was suffering from mild hypothermia, and was in severe pain with a broken ankle.

Coastguards are urging locals and visitors to the Jurassic Coast to be aware of their surroundings in order to remain safe and prevent another call-out.

Lyme Regis volunteer RNLI lifeboat operations manager, Nick Marks said: "This incident demonstrates yet again how important it is to understand what the state of the tide will be during your walk to Charmouth to the east of Lyme Regis or to Pinhay Bay to the west.

"A safe rule of thumb is to only attempt these walks during the period up to two and a half hours either side of low water. For example, if low water is at 12pm, only plan to be on the walk between 9.30am to 2.30pm."

Tide tables showing the times of high and low water are displayed on the noticeboard outside the harbourmaster's office on the Cobb in Lyme Regis. Tables can also be purchased in shops around the town and are published every week in the Bridport & Lyme Regis News.