Woman rescued twice in a week

The 20-year-old refused to come out from a nook between boulders at Brighton Marina despite the danger of a rapidly rising tide.

Fire crews, police, paramedics, coastguards and Brighton lifeboat crew put themselves at risk to reach the woman and carry her to safety.

Rescue teams had already gone to her aid six days earlier, when she appeared to have become wedged between two breakwater rocks at the marina.

There had been a race against time to reach her before the tide went in.

This time, firefighters tried to coax her out but she retreated further.

Eventually, officers had to climb on to the rocks and use force to carry her to safety.

Sub Officer Russ Parker, of Roedean fire station, said: "Last Saturday night we got a call to the marina saying there was a person trapped on the rocks. The young girl was eventually taken away in an ambulance.

"But on Friday we got another call and it turned out to be the same girl.

"She had crawled right to the bottom of the boulders at the harbour and got deeper in as we spent half an hour talking to her.

"She was very cold and hypothermia might have been setting in but she would not come out o we had to use a bit of force.

"She put up a struggle and we had to put up a makeshift bridge and carry her across while she was screaming and shouting."

Mr Parker said the water had risen 2ft in the time spent reasoning with her.

He said he did not know the woman's state of mind but incidents like this put officers at risk and diverted resources from elsewhere.

However, he added it was part and parcel of the job.

A spokesman for Solent Coastguard said: "A guy rang to say his partner was stuck underneath the rocks and the tide was coming in."

He said the woman was hauled free by the fire service but the Newhaven coastguard and Brighton lifeboat were there in support.

A spokesman for Sussex Police confirmed five officers attended and the woman was being cared for by mental health services.