A Chelmsford woman was rushed to hospital by helicopter after falling 20ft from cliffs in Cornwall.

Jackie Rowlands, of Chelmsford, was walking on a cliff path at Lamorna, east of Land's End at 12.25pm on Sunday, when the accident happened.

She had left the cliff path to look at some rocks when she slipped and fell 20ft.

The alarm was raised at a local cafe in Lamorna and the Royal Naval Rescue helicopter from RNAF Culdrose was sent out to rescue her.

Because of bad weather two lifeboats, the Penlee inshore and offshore lifeboats, were both launched in case the helicopter could not get close enough to rescue her.

She was winched into the helicopter and taken to a nearby playing field, where an ambulance was waiting to take her to Treliske Hospital in Truro. She suffered several fractures in the fall.

Pete Ritchie, deputy watch manager at Falmouth coastguard, said: "The weather was very bad. It was drizzling, there was fog and the rocks were very slippery.

"Even the cliff path was dangerous to walk on."

By Emily Banfield

Reporter's e-mail: emily_banfield@thisisessex.co.uk

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