ELDERLY LADY RESCUED FROM SURF AT DUNWICH

An elderly lady has been rescued from the water this evening after an extensive search on the Suffolk coast.

Thames Coastguard was contacted this evening by Suffolk Police after a lady went missing in Aldeburgh. Her husband contacted Suffolk Police at 4.30pm when his 81 year old wife had not arrived at her daughter's house on her bicycle as expected. She had last been seen at 1.30pm. Her bicycle was found between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness.

Aldeburgh Coastguard Rescue Team and Aldeburgh RNLI Inshore Lifeboat searched the shoreline and inshore waters, eventually the lady was spotted by the lifeboat crew at 9pm in the surf at Dunwich, which is seven miles north of where the bicycle was found.

The lady was conscious but severely hypothermic when rescued, she was transferred to Ipswich Hospital by the rescue helicopter from RAF Wattisham.
The rescue helicopter was met at Ipswich Hospital by Felixstowe Coastguard Rescue Team who helped with the transfer of the patient and securing the landing site.

A Thames Coastguard spokesperson said;
"We are all very pleased to have found this person alive after such a long time missing and so far from her last known position. Our search and rescue units have done a remarkable job tonight." 

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