Rescuers free trapped woman. Picture Derek Champ

A teenage girl had a narrow escape when she dropped her lighter between seaside rocks and got her head stuck fast as the tide came in.

Firefighters were called to the harbour arm in Herne Bay, Kent, at about 11.45am on Friday, to find the girl face down and calling for help.

She had become wedged between the massive granite boulders used as a breakwater.

Eyewitness Derek Champ said: "We were strolling along the promenade when the fire brigade came past and we saw a pair of pink socks sticking out from the rocks."

Kent Fire and Rescue Crew Manager Martin Bowers said: "A young teenage girl of about 16 had dropped something between the rocks and she slipped and went down headfirst.

"It was high tide at about 1.45 pm and her hair was getting wet so she was getting very agitated.

"We released her using the 'jaws of life' as we only had to move the rock a couple of inches."
The girl was fine in the end, if shaken up.