A WOMAN who suffered an injury whilst 'bouldering' on Portland's coastline was rescued by the lifeboat.

The 33-year old woman hurt her ankle whilst taking part in the rock climbing activity at Battleship Westcliff on Sunday, coastguards said.

Portland Bill and Wyke coastguard teams received a request to help the ambulance service at around 2.22pm.

"Due to the difficult location, it was decided that the best route of extraction would be by sea," a coastguard spokesman said.

Weymouth's RNLI inshore lifeboat was launched at around 3.25pm in response to calls for assistance.

On arrival on scene the volunteer crew managed to find a small gap in the rocks which they could get the bow of the lifeboat into to allow two crew members with a 'basket' stretcher to climb ashore.

Coastguards carried her in the stretcher down 20 metres of rocks onto the safety of the lifeboat, which took her to Weymouth Harbour where an ambulance awaited.

"We wish her a quick recovery," the coastguard spokesman added.