Rescuers plea for people to stay away from South Tyneside's cliffs

The man was found on rocks and winched to safety at the southern end of Frenchman’s Bay, South Shields, during a major alert on Tuesday evening.

Northumbria Police say officers were called to the area at 2.06pm after people reported being concerned for the safety of a man near to the Marsden Grotto pub.

The police helicopter was brought in and officers found the casualty at the base of the cliffs at Frenchman’s Bay two hours later.

Tyne and Wear Fife and Rescue Service, the coastguard, Tynemouth RNLI and South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade, were also called to the scene.

Tom Fennelly, honorary secretary of SSVLB said: “It is winter now, the conditions are getting worse. It’s cold, muddy and wet along the coast.

“While all circumstances are different, and we are not here to judge, we would urge people to stay away from the coast when the nights are getting dark.

“In this instance we took the Hazardous Area Response Team paramedic to the bottom of the cliffs to assist the man.

“It was a text book procedure with all emergency services working well together.

“Thankfully it’s not thought he suffered life-threatening injuries.”

It is understood the man suffered injuries to his leg and head and was taken to South Tyneside Hospital.

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: “We received a report of concern for a man at 2.06pm in South Tyneside.

“Officers searched the area and found a man on rocks suffering from injuries he was taken to hospital.”