Woman taken to hospital and car recovered after driver goes over cliff in South Shields

The emergency services worked together to bring the driver and the car to safety.
Photo: Fred Baines — The emergency services worked together to bring the driver and the car to safety. Photo: Fred Baines

At around 7.15pm on Sunday, September 15, South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade were called to a report of a vehicle over the cliff near to Trow Quarry and Waters Edge.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue, Northumbria Police and the North East Ambulance Service also attended along with Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team.

When the Volunteer Life Brigade arrived, firefighters had begun securing the car with ropes and wheel chocks to bring it to safety.

Emergency services were spotted at the scene on a cliff close to the sea front

The woman was taken to South Tyneside Hospital.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "Shortly after 7pm, police received a report of a car hanging over the cliff at South Promenade, South Shields.

"Emergency services attended and a female driver was brought to safety. The car was successfully recovered and nobody was injured.”

Fire crews then recovered the car from the cliff edge.

A spokesperson for South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade said: “After a short time the person was removed from the vehicle. Teams then worked together to make the vehicle safe, and it was then recovered by the TWFS to the cliff top.”

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue left the scene at around 7.38pm.

As the coastguard were going to return to the stations, another incident was reported around the Grotto at Marsden. Teams headed to the scene but it turned out to be a false call.

For all coastal emergencies, the public are reminded to call dial 999 and to ask for the coastguard.