TWO teenagers were lucky to escape with their lives after they had to be rescued from the North Sea after jumping in.

The 18-year-olds, who are believed to have been intoxicated at the time, are thought to have been part of a larger group who had been jumping into the sea, without wetsuits, on Tuesday afternoon.

Just before 5pm, emergency services received numerous 999 calls from witnesses who spotted the pair in difficulty in the water at Cullercoats Bay.

One of the men was rescued from near drowning by Cullercoats RNLI Inshore Lifeboat and the other was helped ashore by officers from Northumbria police.

Both casualties were transported by the North East Ambulance Service to hospital as they were showing signs of significant hypothermia.

Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade Brigade, the Ambulance Service’s Hazardous Area Response Team and Blyth Coastguard Rescue Team also attended the incident.

A spokesperson for Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade Brigade, which has responded to 29 callouts already this year, said: "With bright sunshine and a slight increase in air temperature creating deceptive conditions at Cullercoats Bay, it is believed that the two casualties were part of a larger group who had been jumping from the south pier at Cullercoats.

"While this can be a dangerous activity on its own, the men were not wearing wet suits or protective clothing and were believed to have been intoxicated at the time.

"Both were fortunate to have been rescued in a quick manner and to have avoided significant injury."