The circumstances surrounding the nature of the fall are still being investigated but it is thought that the woman was heard shouting "I'm coming down, I'm coming down" as onlookers told her to stop.
Eye-witness, Rachel Williams - who had travelled from Maidenhead, Berkshire, to visit what is usually a scenic and peaceful location for British holidaymakers and tourists - was one of several who saw the incident unfold, adding that it was unclear who the woman was shouting to.
The
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said it received multiple 999 calls about the incident. Michelle Attard from London saw nearby emergency workers attending to the woman on the beach.
She said: "There were two helicopters and police trying to find out how someone slipped off the edge of the cliff. Such a sad event to witness."
A spokeswoman for Dorset and Wiltshire fire and rescue service is reported as saying: “We attended this incident in support of police and coastguard colleagues. We were called at 3.14pm after reports that someone had fallen from height [...] Crews from Bere Regis and Dorchester attended, along with a technical rescue team from Weymouth.”
