A WOMAN is in a critical condition after being found with head injuries in Whitby.

The 45-year-old was airlifted to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough with life threatening injuries.

Police were alerted at around 6.45am on Thursday morning after she was found in Henrietta Street in Whitby The woman’s injuries are being treated as unexplained at this time and officers are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The area around the 199 steps has been cordoned off and officers would like to thank the public for their patience while they complete their enquiries at the scene.

A spokesman for the Great North Air Ambulance said: "We were called at 8am today to Whitby, where a woman had sustained serious injuries in a fall.

"Our aircraft landed in the grounds of the abbey to allow the medical crew to disembark.

"The patient was found to have sustained serious head injuries and the GNAAS doctor and paramedic aircrew anaesthetised her on scene.

"She was transferred from the scene to Caedmon School in a North Yorkshire Ambulance Service road vehicle.

"The helicopter then transported her onwards to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, where she arrived ten minutes later in a serious but stable condition." 

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 – select option 1 – and pass information to the Force Control Room.

Please quote reference number NYP-14082014-0053 when passing information about this incident.