An "inspirational" lifeguard has been left hospitalised after she suffered a horrific spinal injury while on duty at a California beach.
Elizabeth Lovat was on summer break from college, working as a lifeguard in Huntington Beach, California, when she suffered a "spinal injury while performing her duties," according to the city.
There is little information about exactly what happened to cause the spinal injury. In a statement, the City of Huntington Beach said: "On Monday, July 3, one of our Huntington Beach lifeguards, Elizabeth Lovat, sustained a spinal injury while performing her duties.