A MAN claiming to be a paramedic has been questioned by police after a hoax call led to a sea and air rescue being launched off the coast of Redcar.

Redcar Lifeboat's inshore and Atlantic 75 Leicester Challenge vessels were called out at around 12.15am on Friday after the man, who claimed he was an off-duty paramedic, telephoned Humber Coastguard.

He said that there was a person screaming for help in the sea, close to the seafront lifeboat slipway.

A full-scale search was carried out involving both lifeboats, the Cleveland Police helicopter and coastguard. However, nothing was found.

The search was called off when lifeboatmen became suspicious of a man loitering near the lifeboat station and the police were alerted.

Dave Cammish, Redcar Lifeboat deputy launching authority, said: "People who do this sort of thing have to realise they may be putting others in danger.

"When we receive a call like that we always go out so anyone who genuinely needed us would be in trouble.

"If you cost the whole thing up it would be huge as the police helicopter was also out. I can't understand why people to this."

Friday's call-out follows an identical call that was made to the Humber Coastguard on Thursday, June 27, when once again the area was searched for more than an hour but nothing was found.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said a man had been interviewed and inquiries were ongoing.