The dangers of ‘tombstoning’ have been highlighted by rescue services after a man needed hospital treatment following an incident in Maryport.

Maryport Inshore rescue, North West Ambulance Service, Maryport Coastguard rescue team, Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service and Cumbria police were all involved in rescuing the man, after he jumped off the north pier at Maryport, into just three feet of water.

And it is not the only recent occurrence of the ‘tombstoning’ craze, as a man jumped off the suspension bridge at the River Eden in Carlisle recently, breaking his ankle.

Known as ‘tombstoning’ it involves jumping from a height with straight legs and rescuers have highlighted the perils and risk of serious injury.

Anthony Rooney, Fire Service station manager for Carlisle West, said: “We would advise against anyone to go tombstoning, there is the risk of cold shock from the water, the risk of drowning and riverbeds move, you don’t know what danger you are jumping into.”

Mike Messenger, operations manager for Maryport Inshore Rescue, added: “It was too shallow for the lifeboat so we used the smaller emergency rescue boat. We came round the pier close inshore and he had got himself onto a ledge. We were joined by Cumbria Fire and Rescue, Coastguard and police.

“It’s not the best thing to be doing, even on a nice day. There is a danger that the cold shock of the water can affect people and there can be hidden or submerged objects.”

Tim Chittenden, operations manager for Workington RNLI said that they were not trying to stop people’s fun but to enjoy the sea safely.

He said: “The RNLI doesn’t want to stop people from having fun. We want them to enjoy the sea safely in a way that doesn’t put themselves at risk, like the recent case at Durdle Door.

“If people are jumping off they have got to be really really careful as they don’t know what they are jumping on to if they don’t know the area really well.

“They could injure themselves on landing or there could be obstacles under the water. In the oceans regardless of how hot it is outside, it is still really cold and there is a cold shock effect that can be really incapacitating, causing panic and breathlessness even in strong swimmers, which could have an adverse effect.

“If people have surveyed the area and have the correct equipment we won’t stop them, but it’s often youngsters showing a bit of bravado and egging others on and that’s when people could get into trouble.

“The RNLI is there for everybody, our policy is not to criticise people for calling us out, but at the moment with Covid anyone that we rescue is a potential Covid carrier and the crew has to wear personal protective equipment and sanitise the boat afterwards, but if a crew member develops symptoms the whole crew has to be quarantined and we have a limited number of volunteers.

“It reduces the capacity of those genuinely in need.”