A woman in her 20s become trapped 8ft below a wall of giant rocks after losing her footing and falling into a coastal barrier.

She had been walking along the rock armour at Ness Point, Lowestoft, just before 10pm on Sunday, June 10, when she fell between the rocks.

Luckily the woman was able to reach her mobile phone and called 999 – with HM Coastguard Lowestoft and Southwold, Suffolk Fire Service and East of England Ambulance all responding swiftly.

Coastguard rescue officer David Burwood said: 'We assessed the situation and made the casualty safe – giving her an injury helmet for protection for when we extracted her.

'The three teams worked together and we located a safe extraction point further along from where she fell in.'

Using the fire service's unimog vehicle the emergency services placed a harness around the woman and slowly pulled her out from beneath the rocks.

Mr Burwood said: 'She was placed in a basket stretcher and carefully transported across the rocks.

'She was immobilised and strapped down as if she had a back injury.'

The rescue was completed in around 45 minutes with fire and coastguard crew standing down and leaving the woman in the care of the ambulance.

Mr Burwood added: 'She was extremely lucky and was relieved and thankful when we pulled her out.

'I think she was concerned that it had happened – it was all starting to sink in.

'It truly was a life and death situation. If the tide had come in it would have filled the hole and she would have been in significant danger.'

The rescue officer also took the opportunity to remind the public to be cautious when walking near the rocks.

He said: 'The rock armour is extremely dangerous with gaps below the rocks of up to 10ft deep.

'Once again we urge everyone to not climb on the rock for your own safety.

'Thankfully this was not a child and also thankfully this lady had a phone that worked so she could call for help before the tide filled the rock armour.'

'Please respect the warning signs and do not climb around our coastline.'