DOUBLE DRAMA FOR RESCUE TEAM

Coastguards had been called to rescue an 18 year old man who had got into difficulties in the water at Rock a Nore. Paramedics had been forced to call in extra help when they were unable to reach the distressed youth from the shore. On arrival the Hastings lifeboat crew were able to easily reach the man, who had fractured his ankle, and deliver him to the waiting ambulance.

But just as the lifeboat team snatched the stranded swimmer, they noticed flames nearby on Ecclesbourne Glen, and half an hour after receiving their emergency call alerted the fire brigade to the burning problem.

Fire fighters from the Ridge raced to cliffs, but due to the tricky position of the blaze their engines soon ran dry, leaving them unable to tackle the flames further.

Luckily coastguards were still on hand to assist, showing the other emergency team the location of a nearby pond which they were able to drain to continue battling the blaze.

Despite the extra help, it took fire fighters over three hours to extinguish the blaze. The fire is believed to have started when a cigarette butt lit dry grass on the glen.