A MAN was taken to hospital this afternoon after falling off a cliff on the North-East coast, landing on rocks 20 feet below.

Paramedics and members of Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade were called to the scene at Sharpness Point, between Tynemouth Long Sands and King Edward’s Bay, North Tyneside, shortly before 1.30pm.

Brigade members and the North East Ambulance Service's hazardous area response team rescued the man, who had suffered injuries to his head, left hand and possibly his back.

He was taken to North Tyneside General Hospital for treatment.

A short time later, Coastguards received a call from a member of the public concerned that a large area of land was about to fall from the cliffs on the north side of Tynemouth Priory, potentially endangering a group of teenagers playing football on the beach.

A slab of the earth measuring 15 feet square then fell from the cliff face onto the rocks below - some distance from the teenagers.

An engineer from North Tyneside Council was called in to inspect the cliff face. 

A spokesman for Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade said: "We would like to take this opportunity to remind members of the public of the risks cliffs pose, whether this be land slides or slipping or falling while on them, and we ask that people take extra care in the forthcoming days and weeks as due to the recent rain and cold weather they are even more treacherous than usual."