A WOMAN who fell to her death from a bridge was yesterday identified by police.

Members of the public reported seeing a woman crossing the barrier on the east side of the Tyne Bridge, facing the Sage music centre, in Gateshead, shortly after 8pm on Saturday.

Security cameras recorded footage of the incident, and a police helicopter and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue's marine section were alerted.

But, as police officers approached, the woman was seen to fall into the river, in front of horrified onlookers, including many revellers on both banks of the River Tyne.

Her body was recovered from the river by the police marine unit and brought ashore on the Newcastle side of the river, near the Pitcher and Piano pub, where paramedics were waiting to try to revive her.

But she was confirmed dead a short time later at Newcastle General Hospital.

A police spokesman said last night that the woman's identity had been established during the course of the day.

She was said to be in her late 20s and from the North-East.

* A woman plucked from the North Sea by a lifeboat crew as she swam from Longsands Beach, at Tyne-mouth, was treated in hospital over the weekend.

The 42-year-old woman, from Ponteland, Northumberland, was swimming some way off shore when the alert was raised at about 12.30pm on Friday.

She was taken ashore, believed to be unhurt, but was taken to hospital and detained as a precaution.