BEACH PLUNGE Horror as woman in her 50s falls 30ft screaming through trapdoor on Blackpool Pier in terrifying accident
A WOMAN in her 50s last night plummeted 30ft through a "trap door" on Blackpool's central pier.
Shaken beachgoers told how the woman "ploughed to the floor" in the horror fall at the popular resort at 4.30pm.
She hit the ground with a "huge thud" after falling through part of the pier and landed on the beach below, according to witnesses.
Photographs show a gaping hole in the 156-year-old structure, with a burst pipe sending water gushing onto the horror scene below.
A terrified dad who had been enjoying a day out with his children said he thought the woman "was dead".
He told Manchester Evening News: "I was walking the beach with my kids and heard a thud. "A huge thud next to me nearly on top of my head.
"A lady ploughed to the floor, smashing through the Central Pier. I was absolutely terrified... I thought she was dead."
The site was evacuated and closed off by police and emergency crews.
The woman's injuries are not yet known, but cops confirmed today she remains in hospital.The woman's condition was stabilised for an hour and a half before she was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital by ambulance.
There was no evidence boards had given way to cause the accident.
Following the evacuation, the pier's arcade reopened at about 6pm.
Furious locals called the incident "an accident waiting to happen" on social media.
"The pier is obviously corroded. Who the hell is responsible for checking these things?" one wrote.
"Only a matter of time before this happened, hope the lady is ok," said another.
"It was only a matter of time before someone went through one of those piers, what a height to fall from though!" echoed a third.
"Thank goodness the tide was out," added a fourth.
A North West Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We called to an incident at the pier after reports that a patient had fallen approximately 30 feet through the pier.
"We responded with an ambulance, a critical care paramedic team, an advanced paramedic, and an operational commander.
History of Blackpool Central Pier
Blackpool is the home of three Victorian piers: the North Pier, Central Pier and South Pier.
The Central Pier was first opened on May 30 1868 and was 503 yards in length, 131 of which was a landing jetty to use at low tide.
It was constructed by the same company who built the North Pier in 1862.
Central Pier was built to provide entertainment, rather than to be a relaxing space like the North Pier.
It was largely used as a space for people to dance, meet potential partners and make friends.
In the 20th century roller skating was introduced, as well as fairground rides and amusement machines.
Steamboats also set off from the landing jetty, like they did from the North Pier.
After the Second World War dance halls became less popular and the facilities were transformed into a theatre, bars and arcades in the 1970s.
In the nineties a 33 metre high Ferris wheel was added.
"A woman in her 50s received initial treatment for her injuries before being extricated and taken to the hospital."
It comes a year after six fire engines rushed to Blackpool Tower to tackle a "blaze" - only for cops to reveal two hours later that "flames" were just orange netting.
Fire services said in December they were attending an inferno in the Promenade and told visitors to "stay away" from the 520ft iconic tourist attraction.
The attraction was evacuated and police shared the fire services' update on the horror at the world-famous landmark.
Locals even bizarrely claimed they could smell smoke as chaos broke - with one man arrested.
But cops confirmed just hours later that the "flames" were only orange netting and the viewing platform was never on fire.Witnesses said roads were shut off as six fire engines rushed to the scene along with a specialist climbing team.
A drone team and a rope rescue squad were dispatched, with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service confirming they were attending a fire.
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