A BEACH-GOER was seriously injured after jumping off a pier in Southend.

Southend Coastguard have issued a warning not to jump off structures and into the sea - known as "tombstoning" - after the casualty suffered a serious injury to their thigh on Sunday.

A spokesman said: "Whilst out searching for a missing child, our team were approached by a member of the public for concerns of a friend who had jumped off Gilson Pier (on Jubilee Beach) and reported to have a severe laceration at the top of their thigh.

"Our Southend Coastguard station officer went to their aid and found a casualty with a severe open wound exposing their femur thigh bone with a casualty that didn't appreciate the seriousness of the injury.

"Due to the high demand of emergency calls to East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust there was a delay to ambulance attendance, so Essex Police were able to get clearance to take the casualty in their vehicle to Southend Hospital for further treatment.

"We wish the casualty well and a quick recovery.

"Safety Notice: Please never jump into the unknown (tombstoning). There is a reason it's called ’tombstoning’ and can cause serious injury, as experienced here or worse death, don’t be one of the statistics."

The incident was one of ten that the coastguard were called out to on Sunday.