A walker who survived a 100ft fall last night lost his fight for life.

Medics had battled for hours to save the man after he slipped on cliffs at Cow Gap, Beachy Head.

A massive rescue operation was launched when the Sussex Police helicopter, carrying out a routine patrol, spotted the prone man at the cliff base.

They alerted coastguards at 12.30pm yesterday who scrambled their helicopter from Solent and rescue teams from Eastbourne and Birling Gap.

The RNLI's inshore and all weather lifeboats were also launched as the emergency services raced to reach the casualty, who was thought to be in his 40s.

Last night it was thought the man had plunged about 100ft while walking at the beauty spot.

Phil Binks, from Dover Coastguard, said: “The casualty was stabilised by the on-scene paramedic and doctor and was winched to the top of the cliff by the Coastguard helicopter.”

Kent Air Ambulance's specialist crew treated him at the top of the cliff for head, pelvis and chest injuries before he was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.The man, who has not yet been named, died at about 3pm shortly after arriving at the hospital.

The entire rescue operation consisted of helicopters from Sussex Police, the Sussex Air Ambulance and the coastguard as well as two lifeboats, two cliff rescue teams and three land ambulances.