WE are fortunate to live so close to the beautiful Jurassic coast but as scenic as our cliffs are, they can be deathly if you get too close.

With this in mind, Looking Back is taking a trip back to 1925 today.

We were recently contacted by Nita Doonan of Poole who used to live in Dorchester.

In July1925 her mother and aunt, from Dorchester, fell 40ft over Portland cliffs after attempting to pick wild flowers.

The pair were initially reported dead on a Dorset Daily Echo advertising board.

But unknown at first, they survived the fall and were rescued by two fishermen who saw the incident.

Nita visited the Dorset History Centre in Dorchester recently and was wondering if anyone is out there who knows of this story and knows who the hero fishermen. The only information Nita has it that one of them was 'a Mr Stone'.

She said: "It has occurred to me that there may be some people around in Dorchester who have had this story handed down to them through the years and who, perhaps, know who the men were who rescued the two sisters and it would be so interesting to contact them.

"So I was wondering if anyone has heard this story – possibly handed down through the family, as it has been through mine."

The Dorset Daily Echo and Weymouth Dispatch reported on the drama on July 14 1925.

The edition, priced at 1p, headlined the incident Two Sisters Fall Down Cliff Face, Rescued by Fishermen at Portland, One Unconscious, Unfortunate End to Search for Flowers.

Evelyn Gilday, 19, and Norah Gilday, 17, (Nita's mum) of Colliton Street, Dorchester fell 40ft down the West Bay side of Portland on to jagged rocks.

They were visiting their sister Mrs Clark, who lived at West Bay Terrace and set off to explore the shore below the high cliffs at Blacknor.

The Dorset Daily Echo writes: "They were attracted by flowers growing on the cliff and started to climb up to gather some.

"The elder sister had climbed about 40ft and was closely followed by her sister when she missed her foothold.

"The younger sister attempted to break her fall, but both rolled over and fell to the bottom."

"Mr Stone, of Weston, and a companion, who were fishing from a boat some distance from the shore, saw the accident and immediately pulled to the spot where the girls had fallen.

"Owing to the rocks it was impossible to get the boat to the shore so they jumped overboard and waded in.

"They found Evelyn lying unconscious with severe cuts on the head and arms, and Norah was dazed.

"I thought one of them was dead," said Mr Stone.

The men were confronted with the problem of getting the injured girls back to Chesil.

"It was practically impossible to carry them up the cliff face and the giant rocks would have made progress along the shore very slow.

"They decided to use their small boat to convey the girls back and waded through the water to the boat with the girls in their arms.

"As soon as the boat landed the girls were taken to Nurse Swann's home in West Bay Terrace and there they received first aid.

"Mrs Clark later conveyed her sisters home to Dorchester, where they were attended by Dr Day.

"Both are now making good progress."

Nita's mother Norah went on to live a long life, moving to Poole when Nita was seven. She passed away aged 87 in 1996.

Nita said: "This story has been passed down through the family for donkey's years.

"It's amazing to think that my mum and aunt survived it. You would have thought they would have been killed.

"In a way I thought that I hardly believed it myself. It was only when I got to the Dorset History Centre and found the article I could see what actually happened.

"The two fishermen might have descendants who have heard the story and I would love to hear from the fishermen's family. It would be so interesting."

*If you know what became of the two hero fishermen who rescued Evelyn and Norah Gilday after their death-defying fall, contact us below.

CONTACT ME:

t: 01305 830973

e: joanna.davis

@dorsetecho.co.uk

twitter: @DorsetEchoJo