A woman escaped very serious injury yesterday after falling 'from height' onto the shore between Falmouth Wharves and Greenbank Quay.

Falmouth Coastguard Rescue Team were at their base  receiving a briefing on the new Coastguard structure from the new area commander when they were alerted by staff at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre on Pendennis Headland to a report of a woman that had fallen in the Greenbank area.

A spokesman said: "The caller wasn't 100 per cent sure where they were as they'd fallen from road level, but described what they could see around them to the call handler and they were able to pin point that the casualty was somewhere between Falmouth Wharves and Greenbank Quay.

"Due to the confused and aggressive nature of the caller Devon & Cornwall Police were also tasked to attend."

After two search teams were sent out to search, starting from each end, the casualty was quickly found.

Coastguards say she had "clearly suffered a fall from height", and with the help of a paramedic the casualty was imobilised  and the injuries was assessed.

The spokesman added: "Due to the on coming tide and our location, we decided that the best way of extracting was via the inshore lifeboat, so we requested them to attend also to assist with transport back to the slipway.

"Once we'd stabilised and loaded onto our basket stretcher, we loaded the casualty onto the Lifeboat who then transported her back to the slipway. Further team members and Lifeboat crew then unloaded the casualty into the waiting ambulance for onward transport to Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust.

Coastguards say that should the casualty have landed "a further inch seaward" she would have had a ten inch spike impaling her chest.

Adding: "It looked to be the remains of an old shopping trolley, this would have obviously led to more serious injuries and a much more tricky situation for all involved.

"We wish the casualty a speedy recovery and thanks to Porthoustock 02, who was with us for training and assisted us throughout."