A MAN has been found dead on rocks at the bottom of a 50ft cliff on Portland.

A passer-by walking along the coastal path alerted police after spotting the man lying close to the water’s edge at Cheyne Weare – near Cheyne House on the east side of the island.

The coastguard helicopter was scrambled and the Portland Coastguard cliff rescue team mobilised.

The body was eventually taken by police boat from Freshwater Bay to an ambulance at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

A spokesman for Portland Coastguard said it was believed the man had plunged from the cliff edge 50ft above.

The man is believed to be aged in his late 20s or early 30s and was wearing blue jeans, a dark blue jacket or top and no shoes.

A Dorset Police spokesman said they received the call about the fallen man at 5.38pm on Sunday.

He said: “A man in his mid 20s who was passing by called from his mobile phone to say he had seen a body at the foot of the cliffs on the rocks.

“The body was 50ft down the cliff.

“The coastguard helicopter was scrambled to search between the Eight Kings and the Mermaid public houses.”

The spokesman said the body was found on the rocks 10m from the sea’s edge.

He added: “The body was taken by boat to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy where it was transferred to an ambulance.

“There are no suspicious circumstances and the death has been reported to the coroner.

“The police are investigating on his behalf.”

Two South African rock-climbing tourists had just arrived on the island and were taking a walk when they saw police activity close to the cliff edge near Cheyne House.

John Dawes, 29, from Johannesburg, said they saw a man they believe to be the person who spotted the body telling police where to look.

He said: “We arrived and decided to stroll around but the police asked us to move on.

“A man who looked like he was telling police where to go looked very shaken up.”

His friend, Andrew Hofmeyr, 31, said: “It was not what we were expecting when we arrived.

“The guy who had obviously alerted the police looked pale and upset.”

The police said formal identification had not yet taken place.