Man falls from cliffs in dramatic night for rescue teams

A man who was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg after falling from cliffs is said to be in stable in hospital.
The incident happened near to the Marsden Grotto.The incident happened near to the Marsden Grotto.
The incident happened near to the Marsden Grotto.

Emergency services were scrambled to the reacue the man, who was spotted near Marsden Grotto, South Shields, in the first of two rescue operations within hours of each other on Thursday night.

The alarm was raised at about 6.50pm.

Firefighters from South Shields, Hebburn and Sunderland’s Marley Park fire stations joined Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team and South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade to rescue the man.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) from the North East Ambulance Service were also in attendance.

The man was taken to hospital, conscious and breathing, with a suspected broken leg. His condition has been described by police as stable.

A spokesman from Humber Coastguard said: “We got a call from a member of the public who informed us that a man had gone over the cliffs at Marsden.

“Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team and South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade attended and performed a rope rescue with the HART team, to get him back to the top of the cliffs and into the care of the ambulance.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hours later the police were called back to the cliffs after concerns were raised for a missing woman from West Yorkshire.

That was at just after midnight.

A spokesman for Northumbria Police said: “A search of the area was carried out and the woman was located on the top of the cliffs at Marsden Grotto. She was taken to hospital and has since been discharged.”