A LIFEBOAT was launched after reports of a person halfway down a cliff.

Newhaven Coastguard and the RNLI lifeboat were called to the Rushey Hill Caravan Park area of Peacehaven on Monday evening after a police helicopter spotted someone part way down a steep slope on the cliff, near a vertical drop of about 250 feet.

Once at the scene, the lifeboat’s daughter inflatable Y boat was made ready with two crew in dry suits with full medical kits.

The lifeboat then stood by a quarter of a mile offshore with the daughter craft ready to go into action.

An HM Coastguard team member was lowered from the top of the cliffs down to the casualty.

The person was placed into a rescue harness and lifted to the cliff top.

After being given first aid, the casualty was handed over to ambulance crew and taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital where his condition is unknown.

The lifeboats then returned to station at around 9.25pm, a spokesman for the service said.