'Despondent man' taken into care of police after being found at end of South Shields Pier
A man has been taken into the care of the police after he was found at the end of South Shields Pier this morning.
Lifeboat volunteers were called to the incident just after 1am today.
He was found near the pier end and engaged with coastguards before police arrived.
The man was then brought back from the pier and taken into police custody.
A post on Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team reads: "Together with South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade and Tynemouth Inshore Lifeboat, we were tasked to a report of a despondent male at the seaward end of South Shields Pier.
"The man was located near the pier end, where coastguards engaged with him until after police arrival.
"He was escorted from the pier, afterwards being taken into police custody."