RNLI evacuate visitor from Farne Islands after she suffered severe hip and leg injury

A visitor was evacuated from the Farne Islands after she suffered a severe hip and leg injury.

Volunteers at Craster RNLI station were called to the Inner Farne where a woman was in severe pain after sustaining the injury. She was given immediate pain relief in the form of Entenox, commonly known as gas and air, by the lifeboat crew.

The casualty was then placed on a stretcher and carried back to the island's landing jetty with the help of National Trust wardens. Whilst on the jetty, further pain relief was given in preparation for the journey back to the mainland.

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Craster RNLI were called out despite Seahouses being the closest lifeboat station as the Seahouses lifeboat was unavailable when the woman fell ill. However, shortly after 5pm, the Seahouses lifeboat returned to service and launched with a doctor on board.

After further assessment from a doctor, the woman was evacuated back to the mainland in the all-weather lifeboat and transferred to the North East Ambulance Service at Seahouses Harbour. She was then taken to Northumberland Emergency Specialist Care Hospital at Cramlington, accompanied by her husband.

Ian Clayton, Seahouses RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer, said that it was a perfect example of RNLI crews working with the National Trust and Coastguard. He said: "We wish the lady a speedy recovery from her ordeal, and we were all glad to have been able to help her in her moment of need."

A statement from the North East Ambulance Service read: "We were called by our RNLI colleagues shortly before 6pm on Saturday, 11 May to assist with a person injured in a fall on Inner Farne. A double crewed ambulance met the lifeboat at Seahouses and transported one patient to Northumbria Specialist Care Hospital."

Craster RNLI have seen its call outs increase as the weather has improved in recent weeks. One callout included "rescuing" a Baby Yoda balloon, which had been unidentified before it was picked up by the charity.