Doncaster woman part of couple found camping just 6ft from dangerous cliff edge with a child

Police have confirmed that the clifftop campers found in North Yorkshire over the weekend were a couple from Middlesbrough and Doncaster with a young child.

The pair, who live in separate households, were responsible for pitching a tent just 6ft from a sheer drop above the beach at Port Mulgrave.

The 30-year-old man and 27-year-old woman have both been issued with fixed penalty notices over the incident.

The area is prone to landslips, several of which have occurred in recent weeks following wet weather. A path leading to the beach at Port Mulgrave collapsed last month.

North Yorkshire Police were contacted at 1.30pm on Saturday by the Coastguard, who had received a report from a member of the public who was concerned about the location of a tent near to a cliff edge at Port Mulgrave.

The couple were fined for contravening a requirement to not leave or be outside their place of living.

Both Staithes Coastguard and police also gave them advice over the dangers of the location they had chosen to pitch the tent and the threat posed to themselves and the child who was with them.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Everyone is aware of the current restrictions that are in place to stay at home to stop the spread of Covid, so to travel from Middlesbrough and Doncaster with the intention to camp overnight is obviously a clear breach of the regulations. But to then choose to pitch a tent in such a dangerous location is completely irresponsible.

“Not only were the individuals involved risking their own safety and the safety of the child who was with them, if a landslide had occurred, they would also be risking the lives of the emergency services who would attend the resulting incident.

“Our thanks go to the member of the public who reported their concerns and to our Coastguard colleagues who also attended. Their actions may have averted a completely preventable tragedy.”