Prickle bush saves the day

Teen Zoe Pipes survived a cliff plunge. Photo / Supplied

An Auckland schoolgirl owes her life to a gorse bush.

Zoe Pipes, 17, slipped off a track between Bethells Beach and Muriwai while on a school tramp yesterday morning.

She was stopped from plunging over a cliff by the gorse bush, in which she was trapped for 30 minutes until a rescue helicopter came to her aid.

Zoe was on a sports leadership course with 12 other Carmel College classmates when the accident happened. Teacher Kirsty Ussher had to run to the top of the hill to contact emergency services.

Flight paramedic Russell Clarke was lowered from the helicopter and stabilised Zoe's fractured and dislocated ankle with a splint and gave her pain relief before winching her into the helicopter. Auckland rescue helicopter crewman Tinny Cannell said Zoe was in a potentially deadly situation clinging to the cliff with a big drop on to rocks beneath her.

"If she had gone too much further it would have been a body," said Cannell.

Pipes was taken to North Shore Hospital and was due to have surgery on her leg tomorrow if swelling subsided.

Zoe's mother Fiona said her daughter was amazingly upbeat after her ordeal.

"Zoe's ambition in life is to be a paramedic. She wanted to know about everything that went on."

Zoe would be on crutches for the next six weeks and have to wear a cast to her school ball on April 14.