OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND (WASHINGTON POST) - A woman was impaled on Sunday (July 22) in Ocean City, Maryland, by a beach umbrella in what appeared to be a freak accident, according to a spokesman for the resort town.

The 36-year-old woman was conscious when taken to a hospital but her condition was not immediately known, said the spokesman Jessica Waters.

She was thought to be a beach visitor but was not otherwise identified, Ms Waters said.

The incident occurred at about 3.30pm local time on the beach near 54th Street in the popular resort town, after an umbrella was apparently uprooted and swept away by a gust of wind.

"Witnesses said one gust lifted the umbrella," Ms Waters said.

She said the sharper end of the umbrella shaft, which is used to plant it into the ground, impaled the woman in the chest. It was not clear how deep a wound it caused.

Ms Waters said paramedics cut off part of the shaft to facilitate transportation to a hospital.

She said the beach patrol tried to inform visitors of the importance of not leaving the umbrellas unattended.