Woman airlifted from cockle beach

A woman was airlifted from a beach after she collapsed while cockle picking in Northumberland.

The 59-year-old, who has not been named, was on rocks at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea on Sunday when she became ill.

Her husband, who was with her at the time, contacted the emergency service with his mobile phone.

The Great North Air Ambulance was called in when ambulance crews and paramedics were unable to reach the woman.

The woman was taken to Wansbeck General Hospital where she was treated for a suspected heart attack.

A spokesman for the Great North Air Ambulance said: "We got a call to say a woman had taken ill at the site and we offered our assistance.

"The ground crew were struggling to get to the site and a rescue helicopter from RAF Boulmer was on standby.

"But we managed to land on the rocks and quickly got the woman to hospital."