Emergency alert after claims four people were stranded at Sunderland's Cat and Dog steps
Fears four people had become cut off by the tide led to an emergency service call out to a popular Sunderland coastal spot.
Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team said it was called out alongside the city's RNLI volunteer team after the report came in stating the group had become stranded at the Cat and Dog steps at Roker.
A spokesman for the Coastguard team said: "After investigation the incident was a false alarm with good intent, it was believed to be children playing on the retaining wall and we were stood down to return to station, allowing the lifeboat to be re-tasked to an incident in Seaham Coastguard area.
The incident happened at 3.30pm yesterday.
The Coastguard's teams from Sunderland and Hartlepool were joined by Sunderland RNLI on the Seaham call out.