SOUTHEND Coastguard were called in to action once again this weekend after a woman suffered serious injuries at the Mulberry Harbour.

Teams with Southend Coastguard were called to the historic landmark today (August 9) just of the shore at Thorpe Bay in Southend.

The Mulberry Harbours were temporary and portable harbours built during World War Two to prepare for the invasion of Normandy.

However, the one in Southend sank before it could join the invasion and now sits off Thorpe Bay yacht club as a historic landmark.

A woman suffered serious leg lacerations whilst out with her family on he Mulberry Harbour.

It is believed the woman's injuries were sustained moving on or around the Mulberry itself.

The woman's injuries were so bad she was unable to walk.

Teams decided against using the Coastguard's helicopter and instead called the RNLI Southend Lifeboat Southend Hovercraft with paramedics who could then assess the seriousness of the injuries.

A spokesman for HM Coastguard Southend said: "Southend Hovercraft went to the Mulberry whilst Southend Coastguard prepared casualty care kit bags and stretcher at the slipway next to the Coastguard station, with Canvey Coastguard also now in attendance providing support, along with Essex Police - Southend.

"The onboard paramedic on the hovercraft provided first aid to the casualty and then extracted the casualty, husband and 2 children and brought them to the slipway at Thorpe Bay yacht club.

"Further casualty care was provided by Southend and Canvey Coastguards to the women and her husband with the children not needing any medical attention.

"The family then decided they did not require an ambulance and said they would make their own way to A&E.

"All teams were then stood down to return to station for further alerting."

The Coastguard has been under pressure this weekend after a string of incidents.

Teams spent Friday evening coordinating a massive multi-agency operation following numbers reports of casualties in Southend.

They were also called to Southeend, Shoebury Boom and Barge Pier after reports of other incidents on Saturday which was capped off with another rescue operation to save a child stranded at sea in a dinghy.

The spokesman added: "The increase in people walking out to the Mulberry Harbour off Thorpe Bay has put a considerable load on RNLI Southend Lifeboat and HM Coastguard in recent months.

"We advise not to venture out to the Mulberry for any reason.

"This is a MOD danger area and access is prohibited and infringes by-laws and puts yourself at high risk.

"The tides come in fast at right angles to the beach and there is high risk of getting cut off by the tide from shore as the foreshore is covered in channels and sand banks.”

The weekend has been busy for the Coastguard across the nation with 340 incidents on Saturday alone

It was their highest amount of call-outs in a single day for well over four years.