A 65-year-old Sidmouth man, who fell from the harbour wall at Lyme Regis, was rescued by two paddle boarders.

Midweek Herald: Rescued David Crabtree, 65, from Sidmouth, with his dog Prim. Picture: Seb CopeRescued David Crabtree, 65, from Sidmouth, with his dog Prim. Picture: Seb Cope (Image: Archant)

The town's lifeboat crew was scrambled by coastguards on Saturday, January 18, following reports that a person had fallen off the high wall at the Cobb.

The RNLI lifeboat was about to launch at 3.20pm when crew were advised by a member of the public that the man had been picked up by two people who were paddle boarding.

The lifeboat crew and the local coastguard team met the casualty, David Crabtree, 65, from Sidmouth when the paddleboarders bought him ashore on Monmouth Beach.

Midweek Herald: Warming up in the Lyme lifeboat station after his fall - David Crabtree, 65, from Sidmouth. Picture: Seb CopeWarming up in the Lyme lifeboat station after his fall - David Crabtree, 65, from Sidmouth. Picture: Seb Cope (Image: Archant)

Mr Crabtree and his wife Debbie were walking their dachshund dog, Prim, along the high wall when he suddenly slipped, lost his balance and fell into the shallow waters below.

Another couple who saw it happen called 999 and asked for the coastguard and an ambulance.

Mr Crabtree was attended to by lifeboat volunteers, coastguard and ambulance crew. He then joined the crew in the lifeboat station to warm up before heading back to Sidmouth.

Mrs Crabtree said: "It all happened so quickly and luckily there was another couple there who contacted the coastguard and were able to get the attention of the paddleboarders to rescue David. "The lifeboat crew have been fantastic and so helpful with looking after David."

As this incident was occurring, another man who had fallen from the wall on the other side was attended to by the coastguard and ambulance crew.

Nick Marks, lifeboat operations manager said: "The high wall of the Cobb is particularly slippery, the harbour master has temporarily advised members of the public not to access the top of the wall due to large amounts of algae making hazardous walking conditions."