By Pat Flynn

Five people have been rescued from a ledge on the Kerry coast this evening.

The group became stranded on the shoreline at Leck Point north of Ballybunion at around 4pm.

The volunteer Ballybunion Rescue unit attempted to reach the five but were unable to do so. RNLI lifeboats from Kilrush in Clare and Fenit Co Kerry were sent to the scene.

The Shannon-based search and rescue helicopter Rescue 115 made its way to the area from Galway where it had been on another mission. Rescue 117, based at Waterford Airport, was also alerted and requested to assist.

The area where the five were stranded could not be reached by boat, so they had to be winched from the scene.

The crew of Rescue 115 airlifted each casualty from the ledge and dropped them in a safe location above the cliff.

All are said to be unharmed and did not require medical attention. All crews were stood down shortly after 5pm.