Police investigate stolen car cliff plunge

Police, Coastguard and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service were called to Frenchman’s Bay, between South Shields and Souter Lighthouse yesterday morning.

Northumbria Police have since confirmed that the car is believed to have been stolen before it went over the cliffs and also believe no-one was injured in the incident.

A police spokesman said: “At 7.47am on Thursday, police received a report that a car had gone over the cliffs at Frenchman’s Bay, South Shields.

“It does not appear that anybody has been injured.

The incident came lthe day after a man died in a fall from cliffs at Marsden.

Emergency services were called following reports that a man had fallen at around 3.30pm on Wednesday.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “Police were called at 3.26pm by a member of the public who reported that a person had fallen from the cliffs at Marsden.

“A man has sadly died.

“Police are not treating it as suspicious.”

A North East Ambulance spokeswoman said: “We were called at 3.24pm to an incident at Marsden Rocks.

“We sent one officer, two Hazardous Area Response Teams and two double crewed ambulances.”

Police and ambulance crews left the scene at around 5.30pm.

A South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade spokesman said: “The brigade was tasked to a cliff fall at Marsden.

“Upon arrival Northumbria Police, North East Ambulance Service and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service were already on scene.

“Information was then relayed that the casualty had unfortunately been declared deceased.

“Brigade members, together with Sunderland Coastguard recovered the casualty to the cliff top to a waiting ambulance.”