Man, 81, suffers serious injuries after slipping while attempting to jump off a cliff - Stuff

An 81-year-old grandfather who had been jumping off the same 6 metre cliff for years has suffered serious injuries after losing his footing during a Boxing Day plunge.

Aaron Knight, co-pilot and crewman for Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter, said the man had been attempting to jump off a cliff at Little Manly Beach on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula in north Auckland, in front of his grandchildren and children on Tuesday afternoon.

"He'd slipped and fallen and banged himself up on the way down."

The fall had caused him a series of injuries including a hip injury and an open skull fracture, Knight said.

Knight said the man had attempted the jump at around 2pm on Boxing Day and the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter arrived at the scene at 2.45pm.

Fire crews had managed to winch the man up to higher ground and he was flown by helicopter to Auckland City Hospital in a serious condition.

Residents of the area had completed the jump for years without incident and it was something of a neighbourhood tradition, Knight said.

"He's quite a hearty old gentleman."