A man has told how he had to be rescued after he slipped down an 80ft embankment, describing it as the “scariest night of my life.”

Mike Pearce, 25, who lives in Sandgate, was trapped in the darkness for about two hours after falling down the slope at The Warren, Folkestone, at about 3.45am on Saturday.

Mr Pearce said the clearing, which has views across the Channel to France, is a place he goes to regularly to “clear his head”.

He said: “As I was getting up to leave my back foot slipped on the grass and I went to place my other foot out but there was nothing there. The next thing I knew I was falling backwards and woke up down the cliff.”

With less than 3% battery power in his mobile phone, Mr Pearce frantically called his friends, who did not answer. But his friend James Bowie-Wooler saw he had a missed call and phoned back just in time.

He alerted the emergency services to where his friend was stranded.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s rope rescue unit helped him back to safety.

The police were called and the ambulance service checked Mr Pearce over once he had been brought back up the cliff and onto the grassland.

Mr Pearce injured his ankle and is now on crutches.

He also has cuts on his face and the rest of his body along with bruising.

Mr Pearce described the fall as the scariest night of his life after he was trapped alone in the darkness for more than two hours.

The temperature was just two degrees above freezing.

Luckily, Mr Pearce was wearing snowboarding thermals under his clothes and a winter jacket.

He said: “It was when I first heard people shouting my name looking for me, that I knew people were here to try and save me.

“It’s not worth the risks and I was incredibly lucky this was not worse.”

He added: “I just want to say a massive thank you to the fire department, police, ambulance and helicopter crew for all their hard working in rescuing me.”