A woman was rescued from the sea just after midnight after a major rescue operation was launched in pitch darkness.

Emergency services, including Margate's inshore lifeboat, were called to the incident at Walpole Bay last night.

Along with coastguard rescue teams, police and the coastguard helicopter were sent following a report of a person in the sea after 12.30am.

The woman was spotted by coastguards in the water on the rocks at the Lido after an intensive shoreline search was carried out, including the use of parachute flares.

A member of the lifeboat crew helped coastguards to get the woman to safety.

As she showed early signs of hypothermia the helicopter lifted her from the rocks for transfer to hospital.

Ian Lowe, deputy launching authority at Margate RNLI, said: "This was a difficult rescue on a very dark night, without moonlight and a moderate breeze over a falling tide making conditions very uncomfortable and difficult for the crew to search in the surf line for the casualty.

"The combined efforts of the rescue services ensured a positive outcome."

There is no information about the woman's condition at this time.