Rescue mission for man cut off by crashing tide

A BEACHGOER cut off by tide below Whitby’s West Cliff sparked a rescue operation on New Year's Day.

- By FELICITY COLLINSON

The man, whose age is not known, was left stranded on rocks below the seaside town’s Spa Pavillion venue.

The incident sparked a multi-emergency services operation with Whitby’s HM Coastguard, Whitby RNLI crews, police and ambulance all in attendance just after midday.

RNLI teams tried to reach the stricken man by sea but due to the choppy conditions, the coastguard launched an operation to save him from the top of the cliff.

A post on Whitby Coastguard’s Facebook page read: “Barely hours into the new year, Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team received our first tasking of 2026.

“Shortly after midday, the team were tasked to reports of a young male casualty who had become trapped by the incoming tide below the West Cliff area.