Coastguard teams rescue person trapped on slope at Watcombe Beach

Coastguard teams rescued a person trapped on a steep slope at Watcombe Beach. 

The Torbay Coastguard Rescue Team and Teignmouth coastguards were called into action just before 3pm yesterday. 

On arrival team members made contact with the casualty and associates. It was quickly deemed necessary to set up for a rope rescue to which the team very quickly had holdfasts in place using suitable trees and a cliff technician started to get equipped.  

The edge safety officer kept in communication with the casualty whilst the cliff technician and the holdfasts completed their safety checks. Shortly after the cliff technician was with the casualty and had secured them then an ambulance paramedic was also prepared to approach the edge to help assess the casualty.  

The casualty’s condition changed so a hold was put on the recovery until they were deemed fit to continue.  

Rescuers were then called back into action and both were recovered back to the top. The casualty was then passed into the care of the paramedics who were now being backed up by the Devon Air Ambulance paramedics.  

The Berry Head coastguards team was also called as further back up in case the casualty had to be stretchered of Watcombe  Woods.  

In the end the casualty slowly walked back to the car park with the assistance of the paramedics and after a thorough assessment was deemed fit enough to return home in the care of their associates.