East Lothian teen rescued after getting stuck 70ft up cliff face ‘clinging onto grass’

A teenage boy was rescued nearly 70ft up a cliff face in Dunbar after he veered off the coastal path.

Police, the North Berwick and Dunbar coastguard teams and the Dunbar lifeboat team were called to the scene after being alerted by a member of the public at about 6pm on Wednesday.

Coastguard cliff technician Kevin Anderson was lowered about 30ft down the cliff to reach the teen, who was relieved but embarrassed about the scale of the callout.

Speaking to the Evening News, Mr Anderson said: “He was just embarrassed and cold and very grateful.

The teen being rescued. Pic: North Berwick Coastguard Rescue.

“He was scrambling about and was down on the beach and tried to take a route north and just got stuck.”

Mr Anderson believes the boy, who is local to the area, had been stuck on the cliff face for about half an hour before the call was made to rescue services on Wednesday evening.

He said that the boy had been struggling on one part of the cliff but managed to find a stable footing before he was rescued.

A post on the North Berwick Coastguard Rescue Team Facebook page said the boy had been “clinging onto the grass.”

The rescue

Mr Davidson, who has served in the coastguard role for six years, added: “For anyone stuck on a cliff it could go wrong.”

He said there have been casualties in the past on this stretch of the cliffs at Dunbar, including fatalities.

About 20 people were involved in the rescue on Wednesday evening.

Coastguard rescue officers set up an immediate rope rescue before Mr Anderson went down to secure the boy with a strop, similar to a winch used to airlift casualties stuck at sea or on mountains.

Rescue teams at the scene

Mr Anderson and the casualty were then taken up to the cliff top.

The boy was not injured as a result of the ordeal.

The lifeboat team attended to get a visual of the casualty from the waterline to assist the coastguard.

On their Facebook page, North Berwick Coastguard Rescue said: “Please remember, stick to pathways.

The Dunbar lifeboat team were also called to assist.

“If you see someone in difficulty or something you are concerned about on the shoreline, beaches, cliffs, mud or water, call 999 immediately and ask for the Coastguard. If in doubt, call.”

The person was uninjured and somewhat embarrassed by their predicament. Teams thereafter stood down.

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