A PENSIONER from Portishead who fell 10ft down a cliff in Clevedon was rescued after calling his wife on his mobile phone.

John Bird's fall near Ladye Bay was broken when he managed to grab onto thick undergrowth. Holding onto a branch while lying in the brambles, Mr Bird telephoned his wife Marg who alerted the emergency services.

Mr Bird, 68, then rang the coastguard at Swansea who continued to talk to him on the phone until help arrived.

The Clevedon coastguard team was first on the scene with Ross Leighton, the team's youngest member, lowering himself down the cliff face in a harness to rescue Mr Bird.

Ross, 19, strapped Mr Bird into a special sling before the crew members pulled him up the cliff face and to safety.

The father of two was walking along the coast path from Portishead to Clevedon at around 11am on Monday morning when he slipped and fell.

Mr Bird, who uses the path several times a week, said: "I was very lucky I didn't fall further than I did. The path was a bit muddy so I walked around it on the side and the next thing I knew, the bank had given way.

"I grabbed hold of a branch and managed to get my leg over it to stop myself falling further. My wife was waiting in the car for me in Clevedon so I rang her and then the coastguard."

The coastguard helicopter from Portland was scrambled and hovered overhead while the rescue took place.

Crews from the Portishead Lifeboat Trust and coastguard remained in the water below while fire crews from Clevedon, Weston and Portishead were on standby.

Mr Bird was checked by paramedics at the scene but as he had sustained no injuries, he was allowed to return home.

Mr Bird added: "The emergency services were fantastic and were there within minutes. I cannot praise them highly enough for their swift actions."

Mrs Bird, 66, said: "The police, fire service, coastguard and paramedics were amazing. They did a fantastic job making sure John was safe and keeping me calm at the same time. It was a brilliant team effort on all their parts. I am so thankful he is safe. It could have been a lot worse."

Clevedon coastguard Paul Packwood, 56, warned people that it can be quite slippery on the coast path in the bad weather.

He said: "People could easily lose their footing if they were distracted.

"It can be quite a dangerous spot in bad conditions and we would urge people to take extra caution when walking along there, especially when it is wet."