Surfers save woman, 38, from rough seas off Newquay

Three surfers saved the life of a woman after she was hit by a large wave and thrown from her surfboard in choppy seas.

The 38-year-old was pulled underwater by a three-metre surge of water as she surfed off the coast of South Fistral in Newquay, Cornwall, just before 5pm on Friday.

Surfer Jordan Henwood said he saw the woman struggling in the sea and tried to haul her to safety on some nearby rocks.

But the pair were then both hit by a second massive wave and were submerged by the rough waters.

His friends Will Eastham, 36, a retained fireman at Newquay fire station, and Dean Scott, 20, dashed over and pulled the pair to safety.

Father-of-two Mr Eastham said the woman was struggling after the first wave pulled her back.

"One of the other lads, Jordan Henwood, managed to climb in [off the rocks] and grab her and pull her up to the rocks.

"But then a second massive wave hit and washed them both into the water."

Mr Scott threw Mr Henwood his surfboard so he could pull himself up, while Mr Eastham hauled the woman out of the water and on to his board.

The keen surfer, who owns a surfboard shop, said: "I picked her up and dumped her on the board and swam out of the surf. Dean came out with me. We took her quite far out where the waves weren't breaking."

Two lifeboats were dispatched to the scene and pulled the woman to their boat, before ferrying her to shore.

The woman, who has not been identified by emergency services, had cuts to her feet, a dislocated finger and had swallowed sea water, but suffered no major injuries.

She was treated by paramedics at the scene but was said to be in a remarkably good condition given her ordeal, and was later taken by ambulance to the Royal Cornwall Hospital (Treliske), in Truro.

Geoff Brown, deputy launching officer at Newquay lifeboats, said: "There was a heavy swell yesterday, around three metres. It was quite a rough sea yesterday.

He praised the bravery of the quick-thinking surfers, and said:"It is any guess what would have happened if they hadn't been there, their prompt action and bravery made a huge difference."

A storm brewing in the Atlantic brought gale-force winds which stirred up large waves on the coast, and Mr Brown warned the bad weather and choppy conditions would last for the next few days.

He said: "We have got another storm breaking this weekend. To anyone venturing into the sea on the south-west we are expecting another storm with strong winds and a heavy swell. People need to be extra careful if they are in or on the water."

Additional reporting by Press Association