Woman, 78, has arm ripped off in parked car in Cornwall Published duration 28 August 2016

image copyright Google image caption The incident happened on Saturday afternoon outside a property on Penmare Close in Hayle

A woman's arm was ripped off after it got trapped in a parked car, police said.

The 78-year-old is understood to have leant into the car outside a house in Cornwall when it lurched forward, trapping her arm.

She was airlifted to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth at about 15:50 BST on Saturday.

It was hoped surgeons would be able to reattach the arm, cut off above the elbow.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "What appears to have happened is that she leant into the car to close the electric windows.

"She turned on the ignition to get the power for the electric windows, but unfortunately the car was in gear and lurched forward - trapping her hand or arm.

"In the process of doing that, it has taken her arm off."

Police said although the pensioner had suffered "life-changing injuries", it was hoped she would make a good recovery.