A former lifeboatman has paid tribute to his rescuers after he fell and hit his head on rocks.

Bob Gradden, 61, had been fishing between Pinhay and Seven Rock Point near Lyme Regis when he fell and struck his head.

Despite bleeding profusely, he managed to use his mobile phone to dial 999.

Two of the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew, Lance Taylor and Elliot Herbert, swam ashore to join coastguards assisting Mr Gradden.

A coastguard helicopter arrived at about the same time and airlifted Mr Gradden to hospital in Dorchester.

Mr Gradden, who served with the town’s lifeboat in 1967, and now lives in Surrey, said: “The sea was up to my ankles with the spring tide coming in when I was rescued.

“I could barely see because of the blood. If I had lost consciousness I would not be here now.

“The lifeboat crew, the coastguards and the helicopter crew all did a superbly professional job and I am very grateful to them all.”

In a busy weekend for the rescue services, Portland Coastguard rescue helicopter was scrambled after a diver suffered the bends.

Once on scene near Anvil Point, the crew airlifted the casualty from the deck of Swanage Diver to Poole helicopter landing where they were met by coastguards, a dive doctor and an ambulance.

Following assessment the diver was transferred to the recompression chamber for treatment.

Elsewhere, ambulance personnel requested help with evacuating a woman who had fallen on rocks at West Bay and suffered a head injury. West Bay Coastguards helped to transfer the woman to a waiting ambulance and she was taken to hospital for treatment.

A call was received from the vessel Lilly which had come across a broken down rib, the Ocean 6, which was adrift in Swanage Bay with two adults and two children on board.

The Lilly towed the Ocean 6 into Swanage where another vessel helped to put the boat safely on a mooring.

West Bay Coastguard Rescue Team was alerted to a report of lights in the sky, reported as flares, in the vicinity of West Bay.

An off duty member of Lyme Regis RNLI Inshore Lifeboat crew had seen the same lights and confirmed them as being Chinese lanterns.

A spokesman for Portland Coastguard said: “It had been hoped to locate the source and request that they inform the coastguards in future, but the team was unsuccessful.

“These lanterns are increasingly tying up emergency service resources when they are unwittingly reported as flares.

“It would be helpful if people who are letting them off near coastal areas would inform the coastguards in advance.”