A dramatic search for a missing woman who was thought to be cut off from the tide could have ended sooner - if she informed the emergency services she was safe.

The Marine and Coastguard Agency confirmed that it was no longer involved in a search off Wear Bay Road which spanned more than seven hours yesterday.

A woman was believed to have become injured in an area off Wear Bay Road in Folkestone on Sundayat around 2.30pm.

Emergency services were scrambled to Copt Point where the dramatic search took place over several hours and continued as it got dark.

The search which spanned from Sunny Sands beach and back along the cliffs towards the Warren ended at 11pm and no further search vehicles were seen at the beach this morning.

But police have this afternoon said that the woman is safe and well and failed to let the emergency services know.

A spokesman said: "Officers searching for a woman who reported to be in difficulty on the seafront near Wear Bay Road, Folkestone have completed the search and ascertained the woman is now safe and well.

"Inquiries have established the woman had managed to leave the area safely but had not updated the emergency services.

"Officers would like to thank all those who assisted with the search."

Ed Baker, the RNLI spokesman, said: "It's delighting to hear that the woman our crews were searching for last night has been reported to be safe and well.

"But it is devastating for our volunteer crews and fellow emergency services to end a search and rescue operation without closure despite doing all we can to find reported casualties.

"It is good to know that last night's large scale multi-agency operation wasn't just a hoax.

"We do rely on public support, which from January 2017 we will only contact you for your support if you have opted in for us to do so.

"Around 190 people die each year at our coasts, roughly half of those are due to accidental slips, trips and falls."

Police officers worked with partner agencies, including the coastguard, Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the ambulance service.

A Coastguard spokesman said: "The woman made a 999 call and spoke to the Coastguard earlier on Sunday afternoon, reporting she had fallen on rocks and sustained injuries.

"Unfortunately, a short time later, the woman’s mobile appeared to lose battery life and contact was lost."

The coastguard spokesman added that the authorities were "increasingly concerned" for the woman's welfare.

Earlier today a spokesman from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency suspected the phone call had been a hoax.

The spokesman said: "From our log there is no trace and no reports of a missing person.

"This is looking like it could have been a deliberate hoax."