'Hoax' calls reported to police after sparking searches of sea and cliffs

Two calls which sparked sea and cliff searches off South Shields, Roker and Marsden have been reported to police.
Part of the search this morning. Picture: Sunderland Coastguard Rescue TeamPart of the search this morning. Picture: Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team
Part of the search this morning. Picture: Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team

Coastguard teams carried out a search from the shore between Roker and Marsden while lifeboats from Sunderland and Tynemouth searched at sea after the Port of Tyne received a report of a fishing vessel broken down​ somewhere between the River Wear and the River Tyne shortly before 5am this morning..

While at Marsden, Sunderland's Coastguard Rescue Team was diverted to join South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade in responding to a report of a person on the wrong side of the railings just to the north.

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Fire brigade, police and the ambulance service also attended but nothing was found. The informant's phone was unreachable and they had left the area.

A Coastguard statement said: "With no signs of any vessels or persons in distress, and taking into account the situations surrounding the calls, all teams were stood down with both calls being put down as malicious false alarms, with the details passed to the police."