THE RNLI have issued a warning to the public, after video footage of a woman standing close to the edge of the rocks at Trebarwith Strand came to light on social media recently.

Initially posted by one bystander on Twitter, Lorien Jollye, the footage shows the waves crashing against the rocks at Trebarwith with a woman getting too close for comfort as she nears the edge of the rock.

Lorien posted the video to Twitter and wrote: “Happened to pop out to watch the waves and very grateful that I did, as should the woman in the pink jumper be! The sea is not a joke. The set she was about to get swept off by would have killed her. She’d have gone into the river on the left and been battered on the rocks. I felt sick.”

The video sees Lorien whistling and telling the woman to get away from the edge, just before a wave hits the rock, showing how different the outcome of the situation could have been for this person.

The RNLI also shared the footage on Twitter, writing: “The person in this footage had a lucky escape thanks to an alert bystander. It’s a powerful reminder to always #RespectTheWater as, even from the shore, large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and drag you out to sea.”

A spokesperson from the RNLI said: “Big waves can easily knock you off your feet. The sea is far more powerful than you think and your chances of survival are slim if you are dragged into the swell. Our volunteer lifeboat crews will always launch to rescue those in danger at sea, but to launch into conditions like these could also put their lives at risk.

“We understand why people want to experience extreme weather, but it’s not worth risking your life, so we strongly urge people to respect the water and watch from a safe distance.

“If you see someone else in trouble in the water, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Don’t enter the water yourself as you could also end up in serious danger.”