Man, 80, hurt as car plunges over cliff in Cornwall Published duration 8 May 2017

image copyright Wilbo Baggins image caption Police said the blue Hyundai I20 fell "50 to 60ft" on to the beach below

An elderly driver has plunged over the side of a 50ft cliff in north Cornwall.

Emergency services were called to the beach near Atlantic Terrace, New Polzeath, at about 15:55 BST.

The driver, thought to be an 80-year-old man, is understood to have reversed the car off the cliff according to police.

He was initially trapped in his blue Hyundai I20, but has now been freed and treated by paramedics.

He is being taken by lifeboat to Cornwall Air Ambulance, and will be flown to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, although the extent of his injuries is not yet clear.

image copyright Wilbo Baggins

image copyright Wilbo Baggins image caption The driver is being taken via lifeboat to the Cornwall Air Ambulance

The driver, who is from Bodmin, was the only occupant of the vehicle.

Police, fire and Falmouth coastguard are also on the scene.

Sgt Steve Hawkins from Bodmin Police said: "Our understanding is the car was parked nearby and he has somehow managed to reverse off the cliff."

Andy Farrant walked past the scene after the man had been freed from the car.

He said: "There were about 25 to 30 members of the emergency services - ambulance, fire brigade, volunteers from the coastguard, a couple of inshore lifeboats - the air ambulance landed on the nearby cove.

"The patient was on the beach of the nearby cove and has been put in the air ambulance.

"The tide was coming in and there's quite a light breeze but the sea conditions were calm."

image copyright Sian Davies image caption Concerned bystanders and emergency service workers gathered at the top of the cliff in New Polzeath

image copyright Wilbo Baggins

image copyright Wilbo Baggins