IT may not have the same drama as becoming hopelessly lost in a tropical rain forest, but for pensioner Derek Gritten spending three hours trapped in a gorse thicket was adventure enough.

The 71-year-old, from Arne Avenue, in Poole, was walking home from Poole Lane at 10.30pm after spending the day celebrating his birthday when he decided to take a shortcut to Wallisdown Road through Turbary Common.

But Mr Gritten lost the trail in the dark and became disorientated in a labyrinth of head-high gorse bushes, which blocked out the guiding lights from nearby homes.

The pensioner wandered around in circles for hours before he became completely trapped and in desperation used his mobile phone to contact a friend, who dialled 999.

A police aeroplane was dispatched to Poole, which managed to pinpoint his position and minutes later more than a dozen police officers and firefighters with axes came to the rescue, clearing a path through the thicket to the beleaguered pensioner.

Mr Gritten said he was very grateful to his rescuers and added that at one point he feared he would have to spend the night on the common.

"I shouldn't have been wandering around like that, not at my age," Mr Gritten said. "I was very fortunate that it wasn't raining because then I would have been in real danger of suffering from exposure.

"Luckily I was only a few scratches and insect bites worse for wear and after a check-up a Poole Hospital I was given a lift home. Many thanks to all involved."

Inspector Neil Munro from Bournemouth police urged anyone walking home at night to take sensible precautions.

"It's safer if people stick to well-worn and well-lit footpaths at night, even if the route takes a little longer," he said.

First published: August 17, 2005