Church tower opens again to visitors after rescue

Cornwall's tallest church tower is reopening to visitors this weekend a year after a dramatic rescue.

The 129ft (39m) high tower at Probus Church will open on Saturday to raise money for repairs.

The reopening comes after a woman was airlifted from the top of the tower after becoming ill.

Organisers said they had learned lessons from what happened and had improved first aid provision.

The tower had been opened to the public last May as part of the celebrations for the Coronation of King Charles III when the medical drama unfolded.

A woman suffered a cardiac arrest at the top of the tower.

First aiders performed CPR and deployed the village defibrillator, but were unable to get the casualty down the narrow tower steps.

Police, firefighters and the Cornwall Air Ambulance were all called out, but, in the end, a HM Coastguard helicopter had to fly in from South Wales to airlift her to hospital.

Event co-ordinator Eleanor McCartney said they had thought carefully before staging the event again, but added that this time would see a first aider stationed at the top of the tower, as well as other new safety measures.

"We are guardians of a fantastic historical site and it would be a real shame if people were not able to climb it," she said.

Church supporters said they hoped that about 250 people would pay £3 (£1 for under-16s) to climb the tower and take in the spectacular views across the Cornish countryside.

All the money raised will go towards the costs of maintaining the historic building.

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