Woman dies after getting into difficulty at Helen's Bay

A woman in her 60s has died after an incident at a County Down beach.

Three people got into difficulty at Helen's Bay on Saturday afternoon.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) received an emergency call at about 13:00 GMT and a woman was taken to hospital where she later died.

Her death is not being treated as suspicious, the police have said.

The coastguard said several onlookers tried to help, including one who had gone into the water.

Two emergency crews, a rapid response paramedic, a Hart (Hazardous Area Response Team) crew, critical care paramedic and an ambulance officer were sent to the scene.

A Coastguard helicopter, Bangor and Portaferry Coastguard rescue teams, and Bangor RNLI inshore lifeboat also attended, as did the police.

North Down MP Alex Easton paid tribute to the "members of the public who bravely attempted to help, and to the emergency services who responded so quickly and professionally".

He added that his thoughts and prayers are with the family of the woman who has died at "this incredibly difficult time".

"This tragic incident is a reminder of how quickly emergencies can arise around our coastline, and I encourage everyone to take care when visiting our beaches," he said.