Souter Lighthouse: Safety warning over tourist spot sinkhole

The area is popular with dog walkers

A safety alert has been issued after a sinkhole opened up near a popular North East coastal tourist attraction.

The 13ft (4m) deep hole is about 200 yards (182m) from Souter Lighthouse in South Shields and opens into a underground cave.

The land, much of which is reclaimed colliery land, is owned by the National Trust, which said engineers and surveyors were on site.

A cordon has been put in place and people urged to stay well away.

The National Trust said sinkholes in the area were "not uncommon" and that investigations were under way to determine what caused the latest hole.

The sinkhole is about 15ft deep

A spokesman said: "We're urging people to be aware that the sinkhole has opened up on the cliff tops of Whitburn Coastal Park, just north of The Wherry.

"A safety barrier has been erected around it. We are warning people to please stick to the main path, keep dogs under close control and keep an eye on children.

"We want all of our visitors to have an enjoyable, relaxed and safe visit to Souter Lighthouse and The Leas.

"By its nature the coastline is constantly changing, with some areas particularly prone to erosion and landslips.

"We have put up fencing and warning signs around the sinkhole, which is away from the main path running along the cliff tops of The Leas and Whitburn Coastal Park.

"We are investigating the possibility of moving the current permanent safety barrier that runs along the cliff top to the other side of the hole to direct members of the public away from the area and there are warning signs at key points along the cliff edges, as well as visitor information panels in each car park.

"We'd urge people to take a moment to take a look at these, and to stick to the main paths."

Much of the area is reclaimed colliery land

The area around the lighthouse, known locally as The Leas, is popular with dog walkers and is home to wildlife including Kittiwakes, Fulmar, Cormorants, Shags and Guillemots.

The lighthouse itself was opened in 1871 and features a metal and glass domed lantern room which were added in 1915.

It was decommissioned by Trinity House in 1988 and attracts almost 30,000 visitors a year.