Cliff rescue sparks fresh calls for path upgrade

Woman airlifted to hospital after falling on to rocks while walking on Arbroath route

An Angus cliff rescue airlift has triggered fresh safety improvement calls as people head to the outdoors with the easing of lockdown.

The Arbroath drama happened just before 8.30pm on Thursday when a woman slipped on the town’s coastal path and fell on to rocks below.

Her walking companion raised the alarm and the coastguard co-ordinated a full-scale operation involving their teams from Arbroath and Montrose, a rescue helicopter from Inverness, Scottish Ambulance Service paramedics and Arbroath RNLI’s inshore and all-weather lifeboats.

Rope rescue access was set up from above and assistance given by the lifeboat volunteers before the casualty was winched from the cliff and flown to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. She is understood to have hurt her leg but the full extent of her injuries are not known.

Paramedics and the coastguard rope rescue crew were transferred by Arbroath ILB to the Mersey-class allweather Inchcape for transfer back to the town harbour, with the operation completed by 10pm.

The incident has prompted a fresh warning for people to take care on the popular cliff path, and a demand from a councillor for extra safety measures to be considered.

Arbroath RNLI volunteer coxswain/ helm Michael Marr said: “Call-outs like these go to show how easy it is for anyone to get into difficulty whilst out enjoying a walk along our coastline.

“Thankfully, with some great teamwork between agencies, we were able to execute a safe extraction and we all wish the casualty the best in her recovery.”

Arbroath East and Lunan councillor Brenda Durno said she was “alarmed” to learn of the latest incident.

“I don’t know yet whether she diverted from the path or was on the recommended route but I was alarmed to hear about this rescue,” she added.

“I have been working with the Arbroath cliff trail and we are trying to get access to land to make the path wider because a section of the cliff is eroding and it is extremely dangerous.”

She said improvements had been made to part of the path, which runs from Victoria Park towards Auchmithie, but further permissions are being sought from a local landowner to try to get extra access to widen the route.

“The cliff trail are looking for funding to make the path safer,” she said.

Picture: Gill Howie/ Squadron Prints. The woman was airlifted to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee after falling on to rocks at Arbroath cliffs on Thursday night.