Bikes found on beach spark New Year's Eve search

Two bicycles found on a beach sparked a New Year's Eve search over fears people were struggling in the sea.

They were spotted on the shore near Newburn Bridge, Hartlepool, at about 01:30 GMT.

A coastline search operation was launched involving police, the coastguard and two Hartlepool RNLI volunteer crews, but no-one was found in the water.

The search comes as Hartlepool Coastguard Rescue Team said it attended 140 incidents and carried out 50 training exercises during 2025.

"Please take care on our coast and remember to call 999 if you need help or see anything suspicious," a spokesperson said.

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