People almost ‘cut off’ by tide in Robin Hood’s Bay

Whitby Coastguard said concerns were raised about the people on the beach in Robin Hood’s Bay on Sunday (April 5).

A coastguard spokesperson said it was able to respond to the incident and the situation was resolved “without the need for further action”.

However, they urged people concerned about the safety of others on the coast to “call 999 and ask for the coastguard immediately”, rather than post about it on social media.

The coastguard spokesperson said posting on social media “is not the way to report an incident”.

“Time matters,” they said. “Waiting, watching, or posting online can delay the help that may be needed.”

The coastguard spokesperson said people “can and do get cut off quicker than expected”, adding: “Not every situation looks “life-threatening” at first… but that can change in seconds.

“… Assessing risk from a Facebook photo, especially at a distance, is not something to joke about.

“These are real coastal conditions. Tides, terrain and access points are constantly changing, cliffs and banks continually collapsing. What may look ‘fine’ from one angle or moment in time can very quickly become dangerous.”