Filey Brigg cliff rescue after man and woman stranded by tide

The coastgurad crew said they had to act fast to get the stranded man and woman to safety

A man and woman have been rescued after clinging to a seaside cliff "by their fingernails" as they tried to escape the rising tide.

They were stranded 100ft (30m) up Filey Brigg in North Yorkshire on Tuesday afternoon after being cut off by the tide as they walked on the beach.

Matt Atkinson, from HM Coastguard, said: "They were clinging on by their fingernails so we had to act fast.

"They were checked over at the top and are safe and well."

The pair were spotted by a member of the public shortly before 16:00 BST before a Coastguard helicopter and Filey RNLI Lifeboat were dispatched.

A Coastguard helicopter was sent to assist the clifftop rescue

Mr Atkinson said: "The two teams set up to execute two rescues side-by-side, quickly ensuring that the two people were made safe.

"Once the teams knew that the man and woman were not going to fall, they were able to slowly bring them up the other 50ft of the cliffs to the top."

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He urged anyone going for walks along beaches to check tide times and ensure they are back by the time the tide comes in.

"Don't attempt to climb up cliffs - they can be crumbly and slippery and you may make your situation even worse," he added.

Filey Brigg, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, is characterised by steep cliffs and is about one mile north of Filey town.