A LIFEGUARD impaled by a beach umbrella has recalled she was lucky to survive following the freak accident.

Alex, a college student, revealed the umbrella’s pole missed her artery by just one centimeter as she spoke about the horror.

According to the ABC affiliate WABC-TV, she faced difficulties while attempting to secure the umbrella to a stand on the beach in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

Alex wanted to protect herself from the heat as temperatures hovered around 95F on Wednesday. 

But, the rope she was using to tie the umbrella to the stand was frayed.

But, the umbrella was then picked up by a gust of wind. 

Alex revealed that she tried to catch the umbrella but ended up landing on the pole.

The pole went through her shoulder and her back. 

The 18-year-old admitted her brain was “heavy” after realizing what had happened.

“I was like ‘oh my gosh, I’ve been impaled,” she told WABC-TV.

She admitted that she was fortunate her injuries weren’t more serious.

“I was very lucky where it hit me because it missed every major blood vessel and it just went through my muscles,” she said.

“The pole was very close to major blood vessels,” the teen told the CBS affiliate WCBS-TV.

 “It was a half a centimeter away from at least one major blood vessel.

“It could’ve been so much worse, actually.”

Alex revealed that a band saw was used to get parts of the six-foot-long pole from out of her armpit. 

The pole had to be cut before the girl was taken to the hospital. 

Beachgoers were left stunned by what had happened. 

“As a mother of teenagers, it’s so shocking and scary,” Nancy Brillo told WABC-TV.

Her injuries means she won’t be able to return to lifeguarding duties for around six weeks. 

She had just finished her first year at the University of Wisconsin.

But, Alex hasn’t been put off returning to the beach despite the accident.