Risky craze warning as teen jumps from bridge

The 19-year-old had to be rescued from a ravine on the River Glascanoch near Garve, Ross-shire, at around 6pm on Saturday, after jumping from Silver Bridge.

A coastguard helicopter was sent from Stornoway, and teams from Inverness, Portmahomack and Dornoch attended the scene.

They used ropes to scale the side of the ravine to reach the man, who was put on a spinal board before being floated down the river on a flat dingy.

He was then transferred to a waiting air ambulance and taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

Kevin Brown, Aberdeen Coastguard watch manager, warned: "Jumping from bridges, piers, cliffs or other structures into water can be very dangerous.

"You do not know what lurks under the surface and the depth of tidal waters changes considerably.

"If you want to jump from height into water, you may wish to join a coasteering trip with a reputable adventure centre or go to a swimming pool where there are diving boards."

Mr Brown added: "In the past six years there have been 16 deaths and 50 serious injuries caused by tombstoning."

Northern Constabulary warned of the dangers of the deadly tombstoning craze, where a person jumps from a height into water.

A spokesman said: "Jumping or diving into open water is extremely dangerous, as water depths can vary and can often be shallower than anticipated.

"There may also be submerged rocks that may not be visible and the impact of cold water and strong currents may make swimming very difficult.