Teenager taken to hospital after cliff fall in South Shields

Emergency services were called to the beach in South Shields after a teenage boy had fallen.

Emergency services were called to Manhaven Bay - just off the Coast Road in South Shields - at around 1.30pm following reports that a 15-year-old boy had fallen 15ft from a cliff onto the rocks below.

The Great North Air Ambulance along with North East Ambulance Service, Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team and South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade worked together to treat the boy at the scene.

The teenager was then taken by road ambulance to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

A spokesman for South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade said the boy had fallen 15ft onto the beach and suffered a leg injury.

Tom Fennelly, from the South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade, said: "We received a call at 1.50pm.

"A 15-year-old boy had fallen 15ft at Manhaven Bay and suffered a compound leg fracture.

Emergency services at the scene in South Shields.
Photo by Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team. — Emergency services at the scene in South Shields. Photo by Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team.

"The Volunteer Life Brigade was tasked with rendering first aid prior to the arrival of the ambulance service."

A North East Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: "We were called at 1.37pm to reports that a person had been injured on the beach off the Coast Road in South Shields.

"We sent a double crewed ambulance, and our Hazardous Area Response Team.

"The air ambulance was also in attendance.

Emergency services at the scene of the incident in South Shields.

"The boy was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary by road."

The ambulance service left the scene at 3.30pm.

The Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team confirmed that two of their teams were called to the scene to assist the emergency services in getting the boy off the beach.

A spokesman said: “This afternoon the team were paged to reports of a 15-year-old boy falling 15ft from a cliff onto the rocks below at Manhaven Bay.

The Great North Air Ambulance at the scene.

“As we were proceeding information came in that the air ambulance was in the area and had arrived on scene.

“We were told they were assessing the casualty.

“As we arrived on scene the ambulance service had already placed the casualty in a stretcher and begun treating his injuries.

“Along with the ambulance service, coastguard rescue officers evacuated the casualty over some difficult terrain and off the beach into a waiting nearby ambulance.

“Due to the nature of the injuries the casualty did not require air extraction and was cleared to travel by road.

“This is a fantastic example of multi-agency working within the emergency services.”