'Lucky to be alive' - woman rescued from outback Australian mine shaft after police drone locates her

A drone has helped find an Australian woman stuck down a mine shaft, after she was missing for two days in a remote part of New South Wales.

Police had serious concerns for the 26-year-old, with temperatures in the Lightning Ridge area exceeding 40 degrees.

An extensive search was launched after she was reported missing on Friday.

Eventually a police drone found her trapped eight metres down the shaft.

The NSW Police Force said in a Facebook post the woman was "luck to be alive" and there had been serious concerns for her welfare.

The woman told police she had gone for a late night walk, before she tripped and fell.

She has been taken to hospital in a stable condition.