Alert over missing windsurfer sparks search off Seaburn

A Humber Coastguard spokesman said: "The Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team, South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade and Sunderland lifeboat were tasked. Nothing untoward was found."

A Volunteer Life Brigade statement said: "The team were tasked along with our colleagues from Sunderland CRT to the Fat Buddha restaurant in Seaburn after concerns were raised by a customer of a windsurfer in difficulty.

"As the team arrived, a search plan was devised and teams deployed. The Sunderland lifeboat was also launched.

"After a comprehensive search and more information received from other windsurfers, Humber stood the teams down at 16.56."

Sunderland RNLI said: "Launched following 999 call from a customer in the Fat Buddha restaurant in Seaburn concerned about a windsurfer they believed could be in difficulty.

"On arrival at the scene the lifeboat volunteers began an expanding square search pattern while Coastguard and volunteer life brigade teams searched from the shore.

"After an hour and a half the search was called off after information was received from other windsurfers in the area confirming the surfer originally sighted had managed to make it safely ashore."