A WOMAN was rescued by a heroic passer-by after she plunged six feet onto the beach at Cleethorpes – prompting warnings that the public must stay away from storm-damaged areas.
The woman fell off the edge of the promenade at about 9.15am yesterday.
She was looking out to sea when she mistakenly thought the railings were there to lean on – but they had been washed away during Thursday's storm.
Andrew Curry, 40, was taking photographs near the Ferris wheel on the beach when he saw her fall.
He threw his camera equipment on the ground and pulled her away from large incoming waves.
"I was at beach level and looking down my lens when I saw an object falling in the sea," he said.
"After a few seconds, I realised a woman had walked towards the railings which had been washed away.
"There was a sun glare so she didn't realise the railings had gone and fell head first onto the sand.
"She was lucky – she was about five or six seconds away from falling into some big waves coming in."
The drenched woman was rescued from the beach by Andrew, who sat with her on a nearby bench.
An ambulance arrived within 15 minutes, and the woman passed out while being treated.
Andrew, of Blundell Avenue, Cleethorpes, said: "I thought she had died when she passed out.
"It was quite upsetting. She looked just the same age as my mum.
"There were some incredibly big waves. She could have been knocked off her feet in the water.
"It's still not sunk in yet really; it was frightening. I checked in to see her at the hospital to make sure she's all right. She was being checked over, as I understand it."
Andrew's friend, Dave Hardy, 40, who was also taking pictures nearby, took photographs of the incident.
He said: "I was just passing by taking photos of the pier and the waves, when I saw a dazed woman on the sand as the water was just pulling back.
"She fell head first onto the sand, which was about a 6ft drop, as the wave receded.
"Andrew ran over and picked her up. I rang the ambulance and they were there within 15 minutes along with some people from the council.
"She was absolutely soaked through. Her husband soon turned up, but she passed out on the bench after being treated by medical staff.
"The shock must have just hit her. She came around and then the ambulance took her off to hospital."
A spokesman for North East Lincolnshire Council said that residents are urged to stay away from the area. Red tape had been put around the area where the railings used to be.
He said: "We have sent out a warning for people not to go down coastal paths or to the promenade.
"We began our clean-up operation after the high tide, which would have been at about 8.15am yesterday.
"Since then we've been carrying out repairs."
