Night-time search carried out by lifeboat, coastguard and police after light spotted on Northumberland coast

UK Coastguard requested the launch of Seahouses inshore lifeboat at 1.39am this morning (Wednesday) after a local fisherman reported a light on the north side of Beadnell point.

Coastguard teams from Seahouses and Howick, along with Northumbria Police, were also mobilised to help with the search in freezing conditions.

An angler’s head torch was located, still illuminated, and recovered from the water.

UK Coastguard then requested the inshore lifeboat to conduct a search of the area, in case the owner of the torch, had also gone into the sea. Nothing was found, and at 3.20am it was stood down.

It is believed the head torch had been accidentally discarded or dropped earlier that evening by an angler, and the rising tide had washed it into the sea.

Consideration had been given to the launch of the all-weather Shannon lifeboat from Seahouses, but that was ruled out because of the shallow water and breaking surf where the lamp was reported.

Seahouses lifeboat operations manager Ian Clayton said: “We can only assume that this head torch had been accidentally discarded and washed into the sea.

"There was concern that its owner may also have gone onto the water but a search found nothing.

"An inconclusive outcome is never the best, and we can only hope the lamp’s owner is safe.”

The owner of the lamp can recover it by contacting UK Coastguard on 01262 672317.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper. If you can, please do pick up a copy when you are at the shops. Thank you for your support.