EMERGENCY crews launched a major search and rescue mission on Kinver Edge on Saturday night after a man was reported to have fallen from a 50-foot cliff.

West Midlands Fire and Ambulance Services, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue and the West Midlands Police helicopter were involved in the search which took more than an hour due to poor light and the landscape of the sprawling South Staffordshire beauty spot.

The helicopter search light and thermal imaging technology was used to help locate the injured young man who was eventually found at the bottom of the Edge.

His friends who witnessed the fall had alerted the emergency services and remained with him until help arrived.

The 20-year-old was found to have suffered head and chest injuries and was taken to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley.