TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp has undergone leg surgery after a dramatic rescue from a steep, muddy coastal path in North Devon, turning a long-standing birthday tradition into an emergency she says she will not forget 'in a hurry'.
The 55-year-old Location, Location, Location star, was injured near Welcombe Mouth beach and airlifted to hospital after multiple rescue teams were called to reach her on the difficult route.
In an Instagram post, Allsopp shared that the accident happened during a family birthday tradition at Meadowgate, one of her favourite places.
Allsopp said almost every year since her son Oscar was born, the family has celebrated with a picnic on the beach, a swim and a walk back to the house for cake.
But this year's return journey took an unexpected turn when she slipped on a muddy patch on the steep path.
After the fall, Allsopp said Oscar ran to get help while rescuers worked to locate her.
In the post, she said members of the Bude Coastguard Rescue Team, Hartland Coastguard Rescue Team and Cornwall Air Ambulance were involved, adding that what3words helped rescuers locate her.
'I feel very, very lucky that it was possible to reach me and get me to hospital so quickly,' she wrote.
The Bude Coastguard Rescue Team also confirmed its involvement, describing a 'successful rescue' of a 'high profile!' casualty with a serious leg injury near Welcombe Beach.
The team said it had supported colleagues from Hartland Coastguard Rescue Team and the air ambulance service during the operation.
Allsopp also said she was given a large amount of pain relief and joked that she had failed to collect the social media details of everyone who helped her.
She thanked the many people involved in her care, saying she remembered only some of their names after what she described as the effects of being 'high as a kite' on painkillers.
According to Allsopp, staff at Barnstaple hospital had been 'amazing, kind & caring' and confirmed that doctors had operated on her leg.
'It'll be a boot and crutches for a while,' she said, adding that she expected to return home soon and was fortunate to have a job she could continue while using crutches.
The television presenter has not publicly disclosed further details about the surgery or the full extent of her injury.
