Woman airlifted to hospital with 'life-threatening' injuries after fall from cliffs at Marsden

A woman was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after falling from a cliff, sparking a large-scale rescue mission by the emergency services.
By Fiona Thompson and Faye Dixon
Published 20th Sep 2019, 17:32 GMT
Updated 20th Sep 2019, 19:19 GMT
The Great North Air Ambulance, Northumbria Police, North East Ambulance and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service on the scene.The Great North Air Ambulance, Northumbria Police, North East Ambulance and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service on the scene.
The Great North Air Ambulance, Northumbria Police, North East Ambulance and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service on the scene.

The alarm was raised just after 2pm today, Friday, September 20, when a report was made the woman had fallen close to the Marsden Grotto pub and hotel.

The response brought together the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) and the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAA), Northumbria Police, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, the RNLI inshore lifeboat, South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade (SSVLB) and Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team.

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NEAS said it dispatched a double-crewed ambulance to the scene, while the GNAA had a doctor and paramedic team on board its helicopter.

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The Great North Air Ambulance, Northumbria Police, North East Ambulance and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service on the scene.The Great North Air Ambulance, Northumbria Police, North East Ambulance and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service on the scene.
The Great North Air Ambulance, Northumbria Police, North East Ambulance and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service on the scene.

The woman treated at the scene and was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, with police stating she had sustained life-threatening injuries.

The fire service sent two crews from South Shields Community Fire Station, including a rope rescue team, and a crew from Sunderland Central.

A spokesperson for the SSVLB said: “Team members assisted the ambulance service to stabilise the casualty until the air ambulance doctors arrived.

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"After initial treatment, it was decided to ‘hot load’ her into the helicopter as this would be the quickest route to hospital.”

Emergency services on the scene of the incident.Emergency services on the scene of the incident.
Emergency services on the scene of the incident.

Police asked people to stay back from the cliffs to respect the woman’s privacy, while the SSVLB expressed concern about people’s safety as they tried to watch what was happening below.

Two women spotted the emergency services while having their lunch at Marsden Grotto.

One said: "We saw the ambulance rush past and they must have been here for about three-quarters of an hour.

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"We don't know what's usual but we did say there was loads of emergency services.

The Great North Air Ambulance in flight at Marsden Bay after a woman fell from the cliff.The Great North Air Ambulance in flight at Marsden Bay after a woman fell from the cliff.
The Great North Air Ambulance in flight at Marsden Bay after a woman fell from the cliff.

"There was police, ambulance, fire engines, coastguard and helicopters.

"It seemed a lot but we didn't want to go over if something bad had happened."

One witness reported seeing emergency response arrive at scene.

They said: "From what we've been told she was stuck on some sort of ledge.

"All we saw was the air ambulance helicopter going down on the beach and the emergency services whizz down the road."

Related topics:North East Ambulance ServiceGreat North Air AmbulanceTyne and Wear Fire and Rescue ServiceNorthumbria PolicePolice