A LATE-night search was launched to find a woman believed to be at risk along the Jurassic Coast.

Coastguards were called in the early hours of this morning following concern for the welfare of a woman near Swanage.

The search took place on what coastguards described as one of the "wettest, windiest nights for weeks."

She was later found and given the appropriate care.

Dorset Police led the search after being called at 11.51pm last night (Tuesday, May 7).

A police spokesman said: “We received a call reporting concern for the welfare of a woman in the Swanage area.

“We attended and carried out a search of the area with assistance from the coastguard.”

A spokesman for Swanage Coastguard said: “Liaising with the police and calling our colleagues at St Albans for back-up, on one of the wettest, windiest nights for weeks, the team soon put a plan in place to cover the ground.

“The area from Peveril Point to the chalk stack north of Sheps Hollow was divided up and searched whilst another team walked the path from Sheps Hollow to the top of Ballard.”

Swanage Coastguard used their 4x4 vehicle to search from Old Harry’s Rocks to the obelisk at Ulwell.

A coastguard spokesman said: “Our 4x4 vehicle was deployed onto the top of Ballard Down and made a number of sweeps from Old Harry to the Obelisk above Ulwell. It was kept there for quick response in case the individual should suddenly appear at the cliff top threatening harm.

“After a couple of hours and the beaches and beach huts thoroughly checked, we started to move the search further south and cover the area from Peveril Point up towards Durlston.”

According to the coastguard, the woman made a phone call from the Durlston area and was located before being taken into police care.

A spokesman for Dorset Police confirmed the woman was located just before 2am and given appropriate care.

The volunteers involved in the search then returned to the Swanage Coastguard station where they warmed up with a mug of tea before returning home.