UPDATED 8.41PM A climber has been seriously injured falling from a cliff in Orton Bradley Park near Christchurch.

The man, in his early 20s, is believed to belong to a local climbing club.

A St John ambulance spokesman says they were called at 5.09pm and sent an ambulance and the Westpac rescue helicopter with paramedics on board.

The injured climber was flown to Christchurch Hospital with serious injuries.

The fire service initially responded to the job but weren't able to get to the location - they left it to a team of police.