A DOG walker lay injured through the night on a Hampshire cliff ledge after falling 60ft.

The 64-year-old man was stranded for more than 12 hours with leg and chest injuries before rescuers were alerted.

They described it as “miraculous” that he had survived.

The man, who has not been named, was walking his terrier along cliffs at Barton on Sea in the New Forest at 7pm on Monday. It is thought that they slipped and fell through scrub and came to a halt on a muddy ledge about 60ft from the cliff top.

More than 12 hours later – at 7.20am yesterday – another dog walker heard cries for help and spotted the injured man.

Coastguard officers, an ambulance co-responder, paramedics and police were all involved in the rescue operation.

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The co-responder and a paramedic went down the cliff to check the man’s injuries before he was carried to safety by stretcher and taken to Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

He is thought to have a twisted knee and a broken rib.

A South Central Ambulance Service spokesman said: “His injuries were not so bad and, considering that he had fallen last night, I would say that it was a quite miraculous survival story.”

Lymington Coastguard’s Colin Tabor said: “Considering the time of year and the amount of time he was down there, he was in reasonably good shape.

“He found himself a shelter.

He did all the right things and the weather was very much in his favour.

“Considering his ordeal he was very lucky.”

A Hampshire police spokesman said: “He was wearing good outdoor clothing, which obviously helped protect him overnight, and he was in good spirits when he was found.”

It is thought that the man, who is from Gwent in Wales, was holidaying at Hoburne’s Naish holiday village in nearby New Milton.

Hoburne chairman Rosie Kennar said: “It’s a very unfortunate experience. We wish the gentleman well.”

The dog, which was uninjured, is being looked after in Bournemouth.