One woman was airlifted to hospital and seven others were rescued by coastguards at a beach in Cornwall yesterday.

Portscatho coastguard alerted Mevagissey and Falmouth crews to the incident teams at West Portholland beach at around 2pm yesterday, to reports of eight people in difficulty.

In an easterly wind which brought choppy conditions and a heavy swell, a woman was reported to be in the water and seven others stranded on the rocks after being cut off by the tide.

It is believed that the seven people involved had assisted the woman who was in the water and pulled her onto the rocks - but, after being stranded, one of the women who helped with the rescue suffered a diabetic episode.

A spokesperson for HM Coastguard, said: "We had reports of one person in the water and seven others cut off by the tide on the rocks.

"They were assisted by the coastguard.

"Whilst on the rocks there was one woman who was diabetic and had a medical episode."

The coastguard spokesperson added that the woman, believed to be in her 40s, was airlifted to hospital.

The coastguard helicopter was already on an exercise in the area and was diverted to the scene.