Police cordon off Cleadon Hills nature reserve in South Tyneside after man in his 50s found 'unresponsive'

A man has been left needing hospital treatment after a police cordon was spotted in the Cleadon Hills area of South Tyneside. The cordon was put in place during the early hours of Sunday, January 28, following reports of concern for the welfare of a man.

Northumbria Police has confirmed that they were alerted to the incident by the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) after a man, aged in his 50s, was found unresponsive. Officers have confirmed that he remains in a critical condition and that they are not treating the incident as suspicious.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: At 12.30am yesterday (Sunday), we received from the ambulance service a report of concern for the welfare of a man on Beacon Glade, in South Shields. Emergency services attended and a man in his 50s was found unresponsive.

“The man was taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment. He remains in hospital in a critical condition and his next of kin have been informed. Officers are currently treating the incident as unexplained but at this stage do not believe the circumstances to be suspicious.”

The NEAS sent three ambulance crews and one doctor to the scene before transporting the man to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle. A spokesperson for NEAS said: "We were called to an incident on Valley Lane, in South Shields, on 28 January at 00:18am. We dispatched three ambulance crews and one doctor to the scene. One patient was taken to the RVI Hospital."

One witness told the Shields Gazette on Sunday morning that police were stopping members of the public from accessing the Cleadon Hills. She said: "I was walking my dogs last night [Saturday, January 27] and there was a load of police and ambulances.

"I went to take my dogs out this morning [Sunday, January 28] and it’s all cordoned off. The police car still there and we can’t access the hills."

NationalWorld's sister publication, The Shields Gazette, confirmed the cordon had been lifted on Monday morning (January 29).