YOUNGSTERS IN CLIFF FALL DRAMA

Tyne Tees Coastguard were contacted by police on 25 May 2001 who alerted them to the plight of two young cousins that fell from cliffs at Whitburn after the ground beneath them collapsed.

Local boys Jamie Lee, 11, and Lee Smith, 13, were enjoying an evening walk near the Wreck Bay at 7pm when they plunged more than 30 feet on to sand and rocks. Unstable ground near the coastal footpath gave way - sending them down on to a rocky ledge before they fell to the beach below.

A rescue mission was launched at 7.30pm, involving coastguards, and police, fire and ambulance crews.

Jeff Foster, fire station officer, who rescued the boys with firefighter Mark Legg, said: "We had to park the appliance a quarter of a mile from the cliffs, so we had to walk a mile along the sand and through the sea to reach the boys and get Jamie on to a rigid stretcher."

Sunderland coastguards and a lifeboat were on standby offshore while the operation was under way.

Both boys were taken to South Tyneside District Hospital at 8.30pm, but were released and taken back home.