Picture by Mark Horton

A woman is critically ill in hospital after being rescued from the sea.

The 49-year-old, from Bearsted, was spotted floating face down in the water off The Leas at Folkestone at 3pm on Saturday.

Police say the woman, who was with friends, had been drinking.

A warning has now been issued for people not to drink alcohol before going swimming.

Spokesman Jon Green said: “Alcohol and swimming are a dangerous combination. We would advise people not to have a drink before going in the water.”

Emergency services treating the woman were hindered by members of the public.

The Kent Air Ambulance and an RAF Search and Rescue helicopter had both landed on the beach.

But while crews were treating the woman, some people crowded round the helicopters, getting dangerously close to the moving rotor blades.

“It was madness,” said Matt Pavitt, watch officer with Dover Coastguard. “We had to divert people from the incident to move away members of the public.

“Some were as close as five metres. They were trying to see what was going on and did not realise how dangerous it was to be so close.

“It is like using a food blender without a guard.”

After the alarm was raised a Sea King Search and Rescue helicopter, which was on its way to another job, was diverted and landed within minutes.

The crew, plus that of the air ambulance and a land ambulance, worked on the woman who had already been pulled from the water.

She was flown to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford by the Sea King, accompanied by the air ambulance medical crew, and is in a critical condition in intensive care.

Do you know who the woman is? Contact the newsroom on 01622 695666 or email messengernews@thekmgroup.co.uk