A woman suffered a serious head injury after a chimney fell from a building in South Shields.
Police, paramedics and firefighters rushed to Ocean Road on Saturday afternoon following concern for the welfare of a woman.
When they arrived at the scene, they discovered that a chimney had fallen from a roof and a woman had suffered a serious head injury.
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The female was transported by ambulance to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle where she remains in a critical but stable condition.
A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called to a person injured in Ocean Road, South Shields, at 4.15pm this afternoon.
"We dispatched one ambulance crew, two crews from our Hazardous Area Response Team and a clinical team leader, and transported one patient to the RVI for further treatment."
A section of Ocean Road was closed for more than four hours while the emergency services dealt with the incident.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said they sent two engines, containing eight firefighters, to the scene after being called at 4.15pm. They made sure the area was safe before the road reopened at around 8.30pm.
Northumbria Police said they were alerted by the ambulance service to a report of concern for the welfare of a woman on Ocean Road at 4.20pm.
A spokesperson for the force said: "Emergency services attended and found a woman who had suffered a serious head injury after a chimney had fallen from a property.
"The woman has been taken to hospital where she remains in a critical but stable condition. Her next of kin are aware."
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