On this day in Wembury — 17 February 2001

The Wolverhampton Express and Star reported that two students were airlifted to safety after becoming stranded on a 50-metre cliff at Wembury. One was a Plymouth University student and the other a friend visiting from Selly Park, Birmingham. The pair had been walking on Wembury beach when they misjudged the tide and were forced up the cliffs to escape the rising water. Clinging to the rock face, one of them managed to dial 999 on his mobile phone to raise the alarm. A helicopter from RNAS Culdrose responded and winched both men to safety at around 4 p.m. on the Saturday afternoon. Neither required hospital treatment and both were unhurt.

This was one of several incidents over the years at Wembury Bay, where the combination of steep cliffs and fast-rising tides has caught out unwary walkers. The beach path from Wembury Point towards Heybrook Bay is especially notorious, with sections cut off quickly as the tide comes in. Local coastguards regularly warn visitors to check tide tables before walking, but rescues of stranded walkers remain a recurring feature of the area’s maritime life.

(Source: Wolverhampton Express and Star, 19 February 2001 — reporting on events of 17 February.)