An experienced climber has died in a tragic fall from a 200ft cliff in Dorset.
The man, believed to in his 50s, was one of three climbers who were climbing at Guillemot Ledge near Swanage yesterday afternoon.
It is not known how far up the climber was when he fell but he plummeted from 'quite high' to the bottom of the cliff on the water's edge.
RNLI, coastguard teams and the air ambulance were scrambled to the scene but sadly the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Guillemot Ledge is the highest section of cliff along the whole of the Swanage coast and a popular spot with experienced climbers.
According to climbing experts, the routes on the west face are amongst the most challenging in the south and offer climbers 'tough climbing in wild and exposed situations'.
It is thought the man was climbing with two others when he fell, one rushed to the bottom of the cliff to help him while the other called for help from the top.
Both Swanage lifeboats, three coastguard teams from Swanage, St Albans and Kimmeridge, a coastguard helicopter and the Dorset & Somerset air ambulance were called out at 4.47pm on Saturday and arrived within eight minutes.
The casualty was evacuated in a stretcher to the lifeboat with casualty care carried out by lifeboat volunteers until two air ambulance paramedics arrived on the scene.
They announced the man had not survived the fall.
Somerset air ambulance were called out at 4.47pm on Saturday and arrived within eight minutes.
A spokesman for Swanage RNLI said: "There were three climbers in total, one made their way to the bottom to help the casualty and another was at the top and called for help.
"They were experienced climbers, I believe it was a tragic accident, possibly to do with a problem clipping on.
"I don't know how far up the cliff he was but I believe he fell from quite high to the water's edge at the bottom.
"We checked over the other climber at the bottom but he had not fallen and was fine.
"Our thought are with the casualty's family and friends at this time."
