A warning has been issued to the public in Exeter and across the county after an alleged hoax call sparked a major search for two people who had reportedly 'fallen' from cliffs at a beach.
Devon and Cornwall Police and South Wales Police are investigating the apparent prank that resulted in a three-hour, multi-agency search in Torquay on Saturday afternoon.
The emergency services were called at around 2pm to say that people were in supposedly in trouble on cliffs at Meadfoot beach.
Two helicopters, two lifeboats, three coastguard rescue teams and others were involved in the operation, but nobody was found.
Matt Thornhill, watch manager at Brixham Coastguard, said: "This was a large scale, multi-agency search that lasted for around 3 hours. With the information we had been provided, we were extremely concerned for the people's safety.
"However, nothing was found during the thorough search and units have since stood down. We now believe this to be a hoax. Hoax calls are wasteful and potentially life threatening – they tie up valuable search and rescue resources which may have been required elsewhere in a real lifesaving incident."
Some 35 people from Torbay, Berry Head and Teignmouth coastguard rescue teams, the inshore lifeboat, all-weather lifeboat, Torbay harbour patrol boat, police helicopter and air ambulance were involved in the search.
But at around 5pm, with 'nothing untoward' found, the emergency services decided the call was likely to have been a hoax.
Inspector Lou Costin, of Torbay Police, said: "I dread to think how much call has cost police and other emergency services and impacted on others in true need."
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed yesterday that the validity of the call was being investigated by colleagues in South Wales, where the report was initially received via a friend of the person reported to be in difficulty.
Officers are said to be continuing with their enquiries in relation to the incident today.
