A paddleboarder who was knocked off his board by waves was rescued by coastguards as he clung to the wall of the Cobb harbour in Lyme Regis on Saturday.

Two other paddleboarders with him managed to get to safety but the third was washed against the wall and was able to stand on a ledge and hang onto rocks.

Lyme Regis lifeboat crew were first on the scene. The lifeboat was unable to reach the paddleboarder, called Mr Evans, because of rocks.

Lyme Regis and Beer coastguards answered an ‘immediate rescue’ call and using ropes and a harness pulled Mr Evans to safety.

Mr Evans said: “The waves took us towards the harbour wall and I managed to get on to the ledge.

“The other two paddleboarders were able to get ashore, but they had also been washed off their boards.

“I was very pleased to see the coastguards and the lifeboat crew.”

Mr Evans, from Tatworth, was not injured and was checked over by Mark Ellis, a paramedic who is also a volunteer member of the lifeboat crew.