A TEENAGE boy has died after being found in the sea.

Northumbria Police were contacted by the ambulance service at 5.40pm yesterday amid concerns for someone seen in the water near to the Souter Point lighthouse, Whitburn, Tyne and Wear.

"Officers, including the force helicopter, attended the scene," a spokesman said. "The body of a teenage boy was recovered by the coastguard shortly after 6pm.

"Inquiries into the death are underway and are at an early stage."

Coastguards were made aware of the boy's difficulties when they also received information from the ambulance, who had received a 999 telephone call from a family member of the boy.

Officers immediately requested the launch of Sunderland inshore lifeboat, along with a Search and Rescue Helicopter from RAF Leconfield and a Coastguard Rescue Team from Sunderland.

The lifeboat launched minutes later and made its way to the scene battling through choppy seas.

Paul Nicholson, senior helmsman at Sunderland RNLI said: "After being directed to the location of the boy by a coastguard officer on the cliff top we manoeuvred the lifeboat through the surf and managed to recover him onto the lifeboat."

Once onboard the boy was given immediate emergency resuscitation by two RNLI volunteers, while the helmsman positioned the boat ready for the helicopter transfer.

Minutes later the boy was winched from the lifeboat into the rescue helicopter and flown to Temple Park playing fields before being transferred to South Tyneside Hospital. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, doctors confirmed that the boy had died.

Mr Nicholson: "Sadly, despite a rapid response from our volunteer crews and other emergency services we were unable to save the teenager.

"Everyone at the lifeboat station would like to offer our sympathies to the family and friends of this young boy at this tragic time."