Young holidaymakers plucked to safety from Combe Martin cliff

TWO children cut off by the tide at Combe Martin were airlifted to safety after a joint rescue between the lifeboat, coastguard and Chivenor helicopter. The Ilfracombe RNLI inshore lifeboat Deborah Brown II was launched just before 5pm on Wednesday to hel

TWO children cut off by the tide at Combe Martin were airlifted to safety after a joint rescue between the lifeboat, coastguard and Chivenor helicopter.

The Ilfracombe RNLI inshore lifeboat Deborah Brown II was launched just before 5pm on Wednesday to help the holiday makers, who had been playing on rocks close to Lester Point when they became cut off.

The pair, from Bromley in Kent, had then climbed some 15 metres up the cliff to get clear of the water and were spotted from the shore, with several onlookers making 999 calls to Swansea Coastguard.

The lifeboat and Ilfracombe Coastguard Rescue Team were both called to the scene and stood by as RNLI crew member Mark Tucker climbed up to the children.

He decided it was too dangerous to escort the children back down to the waiting lifeboat and so Rescue Helicopter 169 from RMB Chivenor was scrambled.

Both children and Mark were airlifted from the cliff and landed safely at the Combe Martin football field, none the worse for their ordeal, with the youngsters swiftly reunited with their families.