A YOUNG woman is lucky to be alive after she fell from a 40ft cliff at Kilve beach on Saturday.

The 18-year-old from the Taunton area sustained serious injuries when she fell onto the rocky beach below the cliff after leaving her friends at a beach party in the early hours.

Coastguards from the Minehead and Watchet rescue teams arrived at 1am to find a South Western Ambulance Service crew at the base of the cliff treating the young woman.

Rescue officer Simon Bale told the County Gazette: “The young lady involved in this incident was lucky not to have been fatally injured.

“If you are out and about near cliffs, particularly during the hours of darkness, please take extra care.

“Take a torch so that you can see where you are going and stay away from cliff edges.

“Don’t forget that alcohol can affect your ability to make decisions and can impair your judgement.”

Further safety advice on visiting the 11,000 miles of the UK’s coastline can be found on the Government website at www.direct.gov.uk