Three savedjrprn cliffsjn joint rescue effort Lifeboats, a helicopter and a cliff rescue team were called in to save three people who were trapped on steep, slippery cliffs near Newquay in Cornwall on 26 March 1997.

Falmouth Coastguard raised the alarm at 1553, responding to a report that people had been seen waving for help from a cliff face just over a mile to the east of the lifeboat station.

Newquay's D class took only 11 minutes to launch and reach the scene, where they found three surfers who had been washed along the shore, climbed the cliffs and become trapped on a ledge 40ft above the water.

Despite fog and an 8ft swell -which was breaking heavily into the tiny cove -the inflatable was able to find a way in and, while one crew member held the boat steady, the other two waded ashore to help.

One was able to climb up to the trapped men and radio for more help. Unfortunately the nearest helicopter was fog-bound in St Mawgan, but a Coastguard cliff rescue team had already started to make its way to the top of the cliff. One Cliff man was able to descend 180ft, manoeuvre 40ft across an outcrop, move a boulder to re-direct the rope and then drop another 20ft to the casualties and the lifeboatman.

All four were in grave danger of slipping and were secured to the line. At this point another rescue helicopter became available, having finished another task, and flew over to help. Meanwhile another Cliffman went down to the casualties, and one was lowered safely down to the lifeboat crew member waiting below in the heavy breaking seas. He wastransferred to the safety of the D class just as the helicopter arrived - having flown in extremely low using direction finding equipment as it had difficulty in finding the exact spot in the fog.

Flying in minimal visibility and about 100ft below the clifftop the helicopter was able to lift the remaining casualties to safety but, with fuel low and the difficult position of the lifeboat in the cove, could not lift the first man back on to the cliff.

By now the Cliffman and the two crew members in the cove were up to ^^ their necks in the heavy surf, holding the lifeboat steady.

The D class attempted to head out to sea, being thrown across the cove by a breaker on the first attempt, but finally managing to break out and transfer the casualty to the station's Atlantic which had been waiting offshore.

The Coastguard cliff team were later awarded the Rescue Shield in recognition of their efforts in what Newquay Coastguard's Auxiliary-in-Charge described as: 'the most difficult rescue I have experienced in 17 years'.

A spokesman for Falmouth Coastguard told the Western Morning News: 'the helicopter pilot pulled off a very skilled piece of flying. The lifeboat crews were risking their lives this afternoon to save those three people. Conditions were terrible'..