Whitley Bay: Girl given CPR after being rescued from sea

A girl, 15, was rescued from the sea in Whitley Bay

A teenager had to be resuscitated by an off-duty nurse after getting into difficulty in the North Sea, volunteers have said.

The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade (VLB) were called to a 15-year-old in a "critical condition" after being rescued from Whitley Bay.

It said members of the public, and staff from a nearby shop, helped pull her from the water and save her life.

The police, ambulance and RNLI also attended.

It happened in Watts Slope at about 16:00 BST on Saturday, when the town was already busy due to a carnival.

Tynemouth VLB said after the teenager was given emergency first aid, her condition "gradually improved" and was taken to hospital.

Shortly after, another teenager from the group of four collapsed and required treatment, it added.

'Extraordinary bravery'

Tynemouth VLB said the remaining members of the group were also taken to hospital to be "checked over".

The owners of Northerly Swell, a shop on the beach, said members of the public had shown "extraordinary bravery".

Mark Ward, from the shop, was one of two men who entered the water to help bring the girl to safety.

A shop spokesperson said: "It showcased the remarkable willingness of both the public and emergency services to spring into action during a time of crisis."

The emergency services including Northumbria Police, North East Ambulance Service, St John Ambulance and the RNLI attended.

Following the incident, Tynemouth VLB warned that despite warmer weather, the sea's temperature remained low.

"The risk of cold water shock is very high at this time of year", it added.

"We would encourage anyone going into the sea to take their time in allowing their body to acclimatise and avoid going straight into a swim or out of their depth."