A DRAMATIC rescue operation was launched after a woman in her 40s fell nearly 50-foot from the sea wall onto a mud bank in Gravesend.

The Gravesend RNLI lifeboat was among emergency services called to Clifton Marine Parade shortly after 6.30pm on Saturday (JULY 6).

Initially, it was believed the woman had fallen into the river but because the tide was low, she had landed on the mud bank.

An RNLI spokesman explained: “Once on scene, the crew could see a fire engine already in attendance and there was a firefighter at the base of an access ladder.

“The casualty was close by.”

The lady was secured to an RNLI long board by firefighters before being loaded onto the lifeboat and taken to the Royal Terrace Pier.

She was suffering from chest and wrist injuries, as well as suspected pelvic injuries.

On arrival at the shore, the lifeboat crew were met by two ambulance crews and three response cars from South East Coast Ambulance Service.

A medical team from Kent’s Air Ambulance also arrived at the scene by car and fire engines from Thames-side and Larkfield were called.

The second fire engine was scrambled from Larkfield rather than Thames-side because it had a boat attached to it.

From there, the patient was taken to Kings College Hospital in London by land ambulance.