'Please don't climb the cliffs' firefighters urge after man rescued near Bournemouth

Firefighters on the south coast have issued a plea to the public, after they had to rescue a man from a cliff face near to Bournemouth.

Crews from Poole and Westbourne attended, after the stranded climber called for help on Monday morning.

The fire service has since condemned his actions, saying not only did he 'risk injury', he tied up valuable resources that could have been needed elsewhere.

The warning from firefighters comes as the Met Office and Health Officials urged people to be sensible in the current heatwave.

Earlier, Dorset Council urged residents to stay safe around cliffs and coastal areas due to increased risk of rock falls.

Cllr Ray Bryan said: "Rockfalls are entirely unpredictable and can happen at any time, but we do know which conditions make them more likely, and prolonged hot and dry spells are one of them.

"We would encourage anyone thinking of visiting the Dorset coast during this heatwave to stay away from the base of cliffs, and if you are walking along the coast paths, keep well away from the edges.

"Never ignore a warning sign – they are there for your safety. It is easy to enjoy the spectacular and fascinating Jurassic Coast without putting yourself or others at risk.”

With the hot conditions set to continue, Chief meteorologist at the Met Office Paul Davies warned Monday night will be “very oppressive” and it will be "difficult" to sleep in the heat.

The top forecaster said he was “really concerned” about the UK hitting 40 or 41C on Tuesday.

Ministers held a virtual emergency Cobra meeting on Saturday to put a contingency plan in place for the country after meteorologists warned the record high temperatures could put lives at risk.