Coastguard issues warning after young people, and adults, were caught tombstoning in Whitby harbour

On Saturday evening the team was called out to a number of reports of individuals tombstoning into the harbour from New Quay Road.

Upon arrival at the scene, Coastguards found a large group of youths and adults, some of whom had been drinking, who were "egging each other on" to jump into the water.

The group were given safety advice - particularly in view of the fact it was low water at the time of the incident and some individuals had tried to jump across the top of a pontoon and into the water.

A spokesperson from the team said: "We always urge people to have fun but stay safe when out enjoying our beautiful beaches and coastlines. However, jumping from piers, cliffs, rocks or other structures into the water can be very dangerous.

"The depth of the water can dramatically change with the tide, and what was a deep pool at lunchtime might be a shallow puddle by teatime. You don’t know what hazards may be lurking under the surface until you are hurt or worse. The shock of cold water may make it difficult to swim to safety and strong currents can sweep people away.

"As ever, our message is; keep safe, but if you see anybody in trouble or if you get into difficulty, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard."