Teenager, 16, Cushioned Boy, 14, Who Fell 20ft From Cliff Edge

A 16-year-old girl may have unintentionally saved the life of a 14-year-old boy who fell 20ft down a rocky ledge in Cornwall.

Lana Holt was sitting with her friends and family at Port Gaverne near Polzeath when the boy came hurtling towards her, knocking her over.

The fall caused her to hit her head on the rocks, but fortunately she had just finished her last jump of coasteering and was still wearing her helmet - saving her from further injury.

Emergency services raced to the scene and the young boy was then airlifted to hospital with suspected fractures.

Victoria Holt

Speaking to LADbible, Lana - who is back home and recovering after the incident - said: "I had only been sat there a minute or so when the boy fell onto me. I didn't hear him fall but I heard him hit me and the ground.

"I got pushed forward on impact and somehow ended up on my back and hit my head on the rocks, luckily I still had my gear on which included a helmet, protecting me from any serious injury.

"When I got myself back up there was a lot of blood which I believe came from a large gash on the boy's foot and he was loudly screaming in pain."

The teen says she hopes the young boy is doing well in hospital.

Lana added: "I didn't get to speak to the boy through all the stress and panic and I left the scene after being checked up on by one of our coasteering instructors. I would like to know how he is doing."

Victoria Holt

Polzeath-based coasteering firm ERA Adventures said if Lana hadn't been there to cushion the boy's fall, it could have been even worse.

A spokesperson said: "She could have saved his life."

As reported by the BBC, Lana and the boy were given first aid until a coastguard helicopter was able to take the boy to hospital at about 4.15pm last Thursday (29 August).

ERA instructor and lifeguard Stuart Parry said the boy climbed above the group of coasteers without warning them he was there.

"The next thing is I heard was this almighty crash. The boy had slipped and fallen on top of her and she broke his fall.

"He is one very lucky boy."

At the time of writing, there was no update on the young boy's condition.

Topics: UK News, cornwall, Interesting, Health

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

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