More details have emerged of how a walker came to find himself stuck in thick gorse and undergrowth, leading to a late night rescue on the Cornish coast path.

Earlier in the week the Packet reported how the man had been forced to make a late night call for help on the Lizard Peninsula.

It was after he became stuck on a coastal path near Coverack, and with darkness falling and thick vegetation around him

This led to Porthoustock Coastguard Rescue Team being scrambled just after 9pm last Sunday evening, along with their coastguard colleagues from Mullion and an area commander.

Now Martin Leslie, the area commander for HM Coastguard, has explained more about what happened.

The call came in just as many of the coastguard team volunteers had been settling down to watch Sunday’s episode of Emergency Rescue: Air, Land and Sea - a TV series on More 4 featuring the work of the country's coastguards and search and rescue teams, which was partly filmed in Cornwall - when their alerts went off.

The team from Porthoustock were called to a similar stretch of cliff to where viewers have already seen them rescue a man during a previous episode.

On both occasions the men had climbed the cliff as a short cut to escape an incoming tide and became stuck in the dense gorse.

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Coastguard area commander Mr Leslie, who joined the rescue last Sunday night, said: "We were able to hear the man and pinpoint his location. We set up a rope restraint system to allow two team members to secure a pathway down to him.

"The combined team were able to send further team members along the now secured pathway to bring him safely to the top of the cliff and, although cold and tired, he was safe and able to make his own way home.

"I know some of the team were sat with their feet up ready to watch the latest Emergency Rescue and were called just as the programme started.

"We really are always ready to respond and will be there when you need us most."

He went on to give advice to anyone in a similar position, saying: "'If you’re heading out for a walk along the coast, check the weather and tides before you head out.

"Take a fully charged mobile phone and tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.

"And please remember, don’t try and climb a cliff as a short cut to the top!"

If you do get into difficulty or see someone in trouble at sea or along the coast call 999 and ask for the coastguard.

Anyone who has missed an episode of the TV series - like the teams from Porthoustock and Mullion did - can catch up on demand or tune into tonight at 8pm for last week's repeat on More4, with a brand new episode showing tomorrow at 9pm.