Air ambulance deployed to help people who were believed to have fallen down a cliff

However, emergency services arrived at the scene to find two people had actually been climbing up the cliffs, and while they were not injured, they had to be rescued after getting into difficulties.

Paramedics were deployed after receiving a call at 5.06pm this afternoon (August 3).

A statement from a North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) said: “We were called by the Coastguard to assist with casualties who were believed to have fallen from the cliffs and were injured.

"We deployed three ambulance response teams, two paramedics, a clinical team leader and the air ambulance. However, after arriving at the scene we were stood down as they were in-fact climbing up the cliff. They were not injured and didn’t require medical attention, but did have to be rescued.”

The Coastguard confirmed they had to rescue two people from the cliffs.

A statement from the Coastguard said: “We responded to a report of two people stuck on the cliff at Featherbed Rocks, Seaham at approx. 5.15pm today (August 3).

"Seaham, Hartlepool and Sunderland coastguard rescue teams were sent, alongside the coastguard helicopter from Humberside, Northeast Ambulance Service, an air ambulance and Durham Police to recover them to safety.

"They were helped to safety by cliff rescue technicians from the coastguard rescue teams.”