Woman rescued after cliff plunge

An RAF helicopter was alerted and assisted rescue teams

A young woman has been rescued from cliffs south of Aberdeen after a land, sea and air operation.

The 17-year-old and a male companion fell about 20ft from a cliff top path near Newtonhill on Tuesday night.

The man managed to scramble back up the cliff and raise the alarm, with about 25 rescuers called in.

An RAF helicopter assisted police, coastguard, lifeboat and ambulance crews. The injured woman was flown to hospital in Aberdeen.

'Particularly dangerous'

Specialist equipment was needed to locate the woman.

Coastguard officers reissued a warning to people about using dangerous cliff paths at night.

David Robertson of Aberdeen Coastguard told BBC Scotland: "This was one of the largest incidents we have had this year.

The woman was taken from the cliffs to hospital

"The helicopter played a vital role, it used infra-red which proved invaluable and located the female about 20ft down the cliff.

"These cliffs are particularly dangerous. This could have been so much more dangerous had he been unable to make it to the top."

He said of the incident: "It's a prime example of what not to do."

The rescued pair did not want to comment.