A rescue operation has been put into place after a man fell around 20ft into a gully behind shops.

Emergency services have arrived in Sandgate Road, Folkestone where a paramedic will be lowered down to reach the man and assess his injuries.

A Kent Fire and Rescue spokesman said: "Emergency services are at the scene of an incident where a man has fallen approximately 20ft down a gully behind the shops."

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At around 11.45am the fire service confirmed the man had been safely pulled free and was being treated by paramedics and air ambulance medics.

Earlier today a spokesman said: "It's not known how the man fell into the gully but a paramedic is being lowered down to where the man is to be able to assess the extent of his injuries."

A police spokesman confirmed that just before midday, Sandgate Road had been opened to traffic once again.

Part of the pavement on Sandgate Road close to KFC, Holland and Barrett and The British Heart Foundation had been taped off.

Eyewitness Martins Irbe said: "We arrived in Folkestone this morning around 10am from Maidstone, before arriving few ambulance vehicles passed us, few minutes later a helicopter flew over us.

"It was clear that that something was going down. Accidentally while looking where we could park, we noticed that Sandgate Road is closed and it was being blocked by emergency vehicles.

"It seemed that there has been an incident, however it wasn’t clear what exactly has happened.

An air ambulance landed at The Leas, near to the scene.

A Kent Police spokesman said: "Officers are assisting the South East Coast Ambulance Service and Kent Fire and Rescue Service in connection with a medical incident near Sandgate Road, Folkestone."

Jason Harris, manager at the Landau Store on Sandgate Road, said: "The road must have been closed about 8.30am this morning, I don't know what has happened, but we can see there are loads of emergency services at the bottom end of town.

"Someone said a guy was stuck and we heard stuff being cut."

Emergency services were first called just after 9am.

No further update on the man's injuries has been made available yet.