A "middle aged" woman nearly drowned in the sea off a Kent beach last night, but it was an emergency response that saved her.

The police, ambulance and fire crews, began searching the dark shoreline at Sunny Sands in Folkestone on Sunday at 8.45pm.

Dover Lifeboat was also called to assist, after it was reported a woman was in the water.

Dover RNLI’s Severn class lifeboat The City of London II was the first search and

rescue unit on scene at about 9.15pm.

Coxswain James Clapham said: “We immediately used six parachute flares to illuminate the inshore area from Sunny Sands.

"The low tide made it difficult for us to get in close”.

The Folkestone Coastguard Rescue team was also present.

Equipment used by a Kent Fire and Rescue crew from Dover helped with the shore side services to eventually locate the woman and pull her out of the water.

Watch manager Andy Batchelor said: "We were asked to go because we have a thermal imaging camera which detects heat from fires.

"But we found her with our search lights within a minute or two of being there.

"We had been given so much information so we could search an exact area.

"By all of us working together it was all done quite quickly."

A statement from the RNLI said: "Dover RNLI and HM Rescue 163 Helicopter remained on scene until the casualty was confirmed to be stable and within the care of the ambulance service."

Mr Clapham said: “Searches are much more challenging during darkness.

"Please avoid deliberately entering the water beyond daylight hours and remember to respect the water”.