'Worst nightmare' as family hurt in stair collapse

Police said a scene guard was at the site

Four family members have been injured, one seriously, after an external staircase collapsed at a block of flats, with the incident described by the owner as "your worst nightmare".

Helen Randall, who owns the property in Carthew Terrace, St Ives, Cornwall, said the external stairs gave way as her relatives were leaving after a visit on Sunday evening.

She said her aunt had suffered potentially life-changing injuries and had been flown to Derriford Hospital, in Plymouth, by air ambulance.

She added her mother remained at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, and her brother and his wife had been discharged from hospital after they had broken bones.

Mrs Randall said her mother and aunt had suffered broken bones when the staircase collapsed

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said the service had been called at 18:41 BST.

It sent four ambulances, two air ambulances, two first responders and an operations officer to the scene.

"We conveyed one patient by air ambulance to Derriford Hospital and three other patients via land ambulances to Treliske Hospital," the spokesperson added.

Devon and Cornwall Police said a scene guard remained in place and the Health and Safety Executive had been informed and would investigate the matter.

Multiple emergency services were called on Sunday evening