Elderly woman dies falling 70ft off coastal path
An elderly rambler plunged 70ft to her death in front of her husband, while walking the South West Coast Path.
The woman, who was in her 80s, lost her balance and tumbled onto hard ground at Winspit Quarry, Dorset.
The abandoned quarry has previously been used as filming location for Doctor Who and for the first series of Andor, the Disney+ Star Wars prequel. However, filming for the second season had to be cancelled last year, owing to concerns that parts of the quarry were unstable.
The woman was walking with her husband when she slipped and went over a sheer drop near Worth Matravers, Purbeck.
Police, an ambulance service, three fire crews, three coastguard teams and the coastguard helicopter were sent to the coastal area after the alarm was raised.
However, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene at about 2.30pm on Saturday.
She came from Poole and her family has been notified. The Dorset coroner has also been informed. Police confirmed that her death was not being treated as suspicious.
A coastguard spokesman said: “She was walking with her husband along the South West Coast Path when she slipped and fell 60-70ft at Winspit Quarry onto hard ground.
“I believe they were regular walkers and the path is a couple of metres from the edge.
“The ground is good and solid there so it appears to be a tragic accident.”
Worth Matravers, which is four miles west of Swanage, is located a short distance from the cliffs. The coastal beauty spots of Chapman’s Pool and St Aldhelm’s Head are nearby.
A Dorset Police spokesman said that they “received a report at 2.03pm on Saturday from the ambulance service relating to a woman in need of medical attention in the area of Winspit Road at Worth Matravers.
“Officers attended and, very sadly, the woman, aged in her 80s and from Poole, was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious. The woman’s family has been notified and the coroner has been informed.
“Our thoughts are with the woman’s family and loved ones at this very difficult time.”
A spokesman for Swanage Fire Station said: “One crew was sent to Worth Matravers for a multi-agency incident involving a person falling from height.
“Unfortunately, the person passed away on scene and thoughts are with their family at this time.”
Winspit Quarry was used as a quarry for Purbeck stone from the 18th century until 1940. During the Second World War, it was used as a military defence site and then opened to the public after the war. The site is now owned by the National Trust.