Clovelly, North Devon. At 5 p.m.

on 22nd June, 1965, the coastguard reported that a helicopter was going to try to rescue a man who had fallen over the cliff at Lundy Island. The life-boat was asked to stand by. The maroons were fired and at 5.25 the life-boat William Cantrell Ashley set out in a strong northwesterly wind and a corresponding sea.

It was one hour before low water. Soon afterwards it was reported that the helicopter was unable to reach the man and winch him up and was returning to base.

The life-boat reached the island at 7.40 and tried to reach the man from seawards, but was unable to do so because of the rocky conditions and the heavy ground sea. The man was wedged head downwards between two rocks. Four members of the life-boat crew were landed to help the rescue party from the cliff top. The man was found to be dead and his body was eventually embarked in the lifeboat and brought to the mainland. The life-boat left Lundy at 9 o'clock and arrived at her station at n p.m..