Rescuers free injured women trapped in cave for 35 hours

Belgian rescue workers today freed an injured pot-holer who had been trapped 150ft below the ground for 35 hours.

Christiane Dumoulin, 43, fell and hurt her back on Sunday afternoon while exploring a cave near Chaudfontaine, 75 miles east of Brussels.

Doctors said her injuries were not life threatening, but meant she could not climb out of the hole on her own.

Efforts to lift her out on a stretcher initially failed because a tunnel leading from the cave was too narrow.

Dumoulin was finally dragged free after being fitted with a rigid corset that immobilised her spine to protect her against further injury while she was moved.

Rescuers widened part of the tunnel with jackhammers, but it still took almost seven hours to pull Dumoulin along the 980ft passage to the surface.

An experienced pot-holer, Dumoulin was injured after falling from an underground ledge. While she was trapped, doctors were able to provide her with medication, food and drink.