A COUPLE had to be rescued by lifeboats this evening (Monday, April 29) after becoming cut off by the incoming tide beneath cliffs at Saltburn, east Cleveland.

A member of the public raised the alarm just before 4.45pm after spotting the pair, both aged 28 and from Latvia, trapped beneath a notorious cut-off point under Huntcliff.

Two RNLI lifeboats from Redcar were launched and arrived to find the couple stranded below 100-metre high cliffs.

The smaller D-class lifeboat from Redcar ran in to the cliff base and put a crew member ashore who gave the man and woman lifejackets before they were transferred one at a time into the lifeboat.

Dave Cocks from Redcar RNLI, said: "It was lucky they were spotted when they were, because there were still two hours to go before high tide.

"‘It was a fairly straightforward rescue for our volunteer crews. We get regular launches to rescue people who find themselves trapped by the tide at Saltburn."

The couple were later transferred into the larger Redcar lifeboat and landed ashore at Saltburn where coastguard officers gave them advice on checking tide times.

Mr Cocks added: "‘We think they were visitors to the area rather than being residents and this incident highlights the need to take simple precautions.

"Always check the time of high tide and be aware that you can be cut off at Saltburn up to three hours before high tide."