A GROUP of teenagers had to be rescued after they became stranded at the foot of cliffs.

A lifeboat volunteer braved the freezing North Sea to swim out to the four teenagers who were perched on a ledge, six foot above the incoming tide.

The late night drama unfolded on Monday at around 10.30pm when one of the group managed to alert police.

The lifeboat from Staithes was joined by the Cleveland Police helicopter to locate the four teenagers who were trapped by the incoming tide at south of Skinningrove, east Cleveland.

When the crew arrived on scene they found the group, which included two male and two female 17 and 18-year-olds, on a ledge six feet above the water.

One of the lifeboat crew was able to swim ashore and it was discovered that one of the teenagers had fallen into the sea while trying to get to safety.

The seventeen-year-old was showing signs of hypothermia and was recovered to the lifeboat before being taken to a waiting doctor and ambulance at Staithes.

James Austin, the lifeboat crewman who swam ashore, said: "Despite the fine weather, there was quite a swell at the scene and the area is very rocky. This meant that the lifeboat had to anchor and I swam ashore with a line, something we practice all the time.

"The group were all scared, but the guy who had fallen in was obviously wet and very cold. The three others were still dry and the tide was starting to go out so we decided to take the hypothermic casualty back to the doctor at Staithes."

The three remaining casualties were guided to safety on foot after the tide started to recede.

By half past midnight the remainder of the group were safely ashore and the rescue teams were stood down. The casualty made a full recovery.