North East lifeboat crews attended reports of a person being washed off the coast last night.

Hartlepool RNLI received a report from the Humber Coastguard of a missing person who had “apparently” been washed off the South Gare at Redcar at 8:55pm on Thursday (January 4).

Crews attended the scene with an all-weather lifeboat launched at 9:10pm and were requested to search the Teesside Wind farm area.

Crews found nothing and were stood down at 11:20pm, returning to the Ferry Road lifeboat station at 11:30pm.

Hartlepool RNLI deputy launch authority Steve Pounder said: "The volunteer crew had just returned from a two hour training exercise when they were called out to take part in the search.

"Despite their best efforts the lifeboat crew were unable to locate the casualty and were eventually stood down by the Coastguard."

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Also taking part in the search was the Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Humberside.

Sea conditions were described as calm with a south westerly three knot wind with good visibility.

A HM Coastguard spokesperson said: "A search was coordinated by HM Coastguard in response to a report of a person at the end of South Gare, Redcar, at about 7pm on 4 January.

"A land and maritime search was conducted with nothing found."

The Northern Echo have contacted the RNLI for more information on the incident.