Police fear 'tombstoning' craze puts youngsters in great danger

Children as young at 10 are risking death and injury in Bridlington and police are braced for casualties as the summer encourages more to put themselves in danger.

Yesterday officers in the seaside town renewed their warning to young people about risking their lives by "tombstoning"– jumping off rocks and cliff faces.

The warning comes after police officers in Bridlington have been called to the Harbour Wall, the Floral area and the steps near the Spa in Bridlington at least once a day at high tide.

Police say they are having to keep a close eye on all three areas because of groups of up to 30 or more people jumping off rocks, the pier and walls.

PCSO Andrea Humphrey, from Bridlington Police Station, said: "Officers are called at least once a day to the seafront to deal with youths jumping and diving off the pier and walls.

"I have stopped people from as young as 10 and even some adults jumping off the pier. They do not see the danger should they slip or jump in the wrong place.

"Areas around the Spa are particularly rocky and pose a great danger and in high tide the concrete steps and railings go under the water. This is so dangerous.

"Jumping off rocks or high locations into the sea is a dangerous activity and it must be discouraged."

Last month the craze claimed its first victim of this summer in the UK when a teenager plunged 30ft into a disused quarry and failed to resurface.

Dean Mason, 19, was diving into the deep water to cool off with friends during hot weather one Saturday when it is though he became entangled in underwater debris.

Friends watched in despair as Dean, who had recently been accepted into the Army, leapt off a ledge and disappeared beneath the water at Holcombe Quarry near Midsomer Norton, Somerset.

One friend is thought to have dived in after Dean, before dialling 999. Avon and Somerset Police retrieved his body the following day.

Tombstoning has taken place in locations like Bridlington and Flamborough for more than a decade and the neighbourhood policing teams have been trying to deal with it on top of their normal duties.

There was concern last year at large numbers of "tombstoners" gathering at Bridlington's sea wall, in front of Garrison Square, near the north pier. One 14-year-old boy was seriously injured.

He spent three weeks in hospital after suffering a fractured skull, neck and rib, a punctured lung and a blood clot to the brain.

He was among a group teenagers which had been "tombstoning" during school holidays last summer. But while larking about, he was pushed towards the water and banged his head on a concrete plinth, causing multiple injuries.

Humber Coastguard say hundreds of incidents happen every year. A spokesman added: "Jumping from height into water is dangerous because water depth alters with the tide and it might be shallower than it appears.

"Objects like rocks may not be visible, the shock of cold water can make it difficult to swim, plus strong currents can sweep people away."

A Humberside police spokesman added: "Local officers do not want to stop people enjoying the summer and having fun, but they want people to understand the serious dangers of tombstoning."