Critical incident declared after woman falls from balcony in Newcastle

Police were called to Shortland Esplanade in Newcastle East at around 6:20 Sunday morning.

There, they found a 45-year-old woman, on a balcony.

They say officers attached to Newcastle City Police District attempted to communicate with the woman, before she fell.

The woman was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Officers from nearby Lake Macquarie will conduct the internal investigation, which will then be subject to an independent review.