A climber who plunged down a coastal cliff in Aberdeenshire managed to escape serious injury.
A major rescue operation was sparked after a 25-year-old woman fell backwards and injured herself in Newtonhill on Friday night.
Three coastguard teams were sent from Aberdeen, Stonehaven and Montrose to the village at about 9.30pm after they were alerted to the incident on the cliffs close to South Headlands Crescent.
The teams were joined by ambulance staff, the Stonehaven RNLI lifeboat, and the crew of the Inverness-based Rescue 951 helicopter.
The woman was transferred to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for treatment at around 11.45pm.
The lifeboat crew confirmed that the climber had sustained injuries to her hip, back and head, but she was not significantly hurt.
It was not known whether the woman had been released from hospital last night.
A spokeswoman for the RNLI said: “She had been climbing as part of a team and had stumbled and fallen backwards onto the rocks.
“She was assessed by paramedics and the crew and, due to her injuries, which were to her head, back and hip, it was agreed the casualty required to be evacuated from the scene.
“She was immobilised at the scene and helicopter Rescue 951 was scrambled from Inverness at 10.15pm.
“At this time, her injures were thought to be non-life threatening.
“The helicopter arrived at 11pm, and the casualty was winched aboard and at 11.43pm the Rescue 951 headed to ARI with the casualty and her partner, and the lifeboat was back on station at 12.15am.”
The coastguard confirmed its crew was stood down at about 12.25am on Saturday.
