A woman shouting for help on a cliff in Shanklin has prompted an emergency response from Police, fire, ambulance and Coastguard teams tonight (Saturday).
The incident began at around 21:00 when members are the public are reported to have become concerned for the welfare of a woman on the cliff top path.
Police were alerted to the situation with several units responding to the vicinity of Clarendon Road.
Now, the woman is around half way down the cliff in amongst trees. She can be heard shouting for help, but it is unclear if she has sustained any injuries.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service have mobilised 1 appliance from Shanklin, with 1 ambulance and an operational commander from the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service also present.
HM Coastguard have begun arriving at the scene with a team from Ventnor working alongside their 999 colleagues.
UPDATE @ 21:56 – 2 Coastguard teams are now on scene – from Bembridge and Ventnor – with further resources from both the fire service and ambulance service joining the rescue effort, including a Silver Commander from the ambulance service.
The woman remains within the dense woodland towards the bottom of a fairly sharp drop.
Witnesses say the individual jumped from the top after dumping her handbag on the cliff path.
UPDATE @ 22:55 – The woman – aged in her 20s – has been safely lowered down to the ground by rescue teams almost 2 hours after the incident began. Coastguards and firefighters have been working in difficult circumstances to access, treat and extricate the casualty.
The unnamed woman is now being assessed by paramedics and is to be conveyed to St Mary’s Hospital by land.
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance had been requested to attend the incident, with Coastguards clearing Hope Beach Car Park for it to land. However, the air ambulance has been stood down from the incident.
Emergency teams on scene at Shanklin are now also standing down, bringing the incident to a close.
Island Echo understands this incident has connections to an earlier incident in Shanklin, in which a male smashed the windows of a car at Clarence Gardens.
