A man has been taken to hospital after jumping from his car just before it rolled down an embankment towards a cliff edge.

The vehicle came to a stop at a boulder which prevented it from plummeting down the cliff face at Slains Castle in Aberdeenshire, the castle thought to have inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Emergency services were called to the scene at about 4.15pm on Sunday.

The man jumped out before the car rolled away. He was not injured but was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for a check-up, police said.

The vehicle was recovered.

Peterhead RNLI lifeboat stood by to provide safety cover during the rescue.

An RNLI spokesman said: "The RNLI Peterhead Tamar lifeboat The Misses Robertson of Kintail was requested to launch by UK Coastguard on Sunday, June 3, at 4.13 pm with its volunteer crew, to provide safety cover for the rescue of a car which had gone over an embankment metres from cliffs near to Slains castle.

"The occupant of the vehicle was taken to hospital in Aberdeen by ambulance. Police and coastguard were also in attendance.

"The lifeboat was stood down at 7.45pm after the vehicle was recovered."