Two Redcar and Cleveland response officers have been praised after they entered the pitch black and freezing cold North Sea at the weekend to rescue a woman in distress.

The ambulance service contacted Cleveland Police just after 2am on Saturday (Jan 4), following reports a vulnerable woman had entered the water off Redcar seafront.

Multiple response officers rushed to the scene and without hesitation officers PCs Clarke and Gressman plunged into the water.

The two officers brought the 38-year-old woman safely back to shore and she was left in the care of ambulance staff.

Commending the officers for their actions, Redcar & Cleveland Response Chief Inspector Mark Pitt said: “This was an urgent situation, with serious concerns for the lady’s safety and wellbeing, but my officers didn’t hesitate to spring into action that night.

“I’m very proud of them for what they did - putting the lady’s safety before their own - and thankfully they were able to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.”

Yorkshire police officers ‘didn’t hesitate to spring into action’ to save vulnerable woman in freezing cold North Sea