A fourth person has been found dead beneath the cliffs near Whitby in just a matter of days. 

Emergency services were alerted to the discovery of a body at Sandsend near Whitby Abbey just after 11am yesterday – where three others also died this week. 

Police later discovered the woman’s body below the cliffs behind the main car park at Sandsend.

Teams from the ambulance, police, coastguard, lifeboat and fire service all attended the scene. 

The woman’s body was recovered at 12.55pm and the location was reopened to the public a few hours later following extensive enquiries.

The woman’s death follows the double tragedy of a man and woman – believed to be in their 40s – who plunged to their deaths from 200ft cliffs behind Whitby Abbey on Wednesday evening. 

The couple were seen heading towards the cliffs on a path on the North Yorkshire coast.

Their bodies were recovered from the rocks below the 180ft cliffs on Wednesday evening following the apparent suicide pact. 

A day later on Thursday, a woman in her 60s was found dead by the cliffs near Whitby Pavilion. 

Police, ambulance, coastguard, mountain rescue and lifeboat teams were called after reports of the woman’s death, which is believed to have involved a fall from the cliff.

Due to the rocky location and high tide, mountain rescue assisted in recovering the woman’s body to the lifeboat before being taken to the lifeboat house.

North Yorkshire Police are not linking the third death, which is not believed to be suspicious, to the alleged double suicide, which the force continue to investigate.

The area beside the historic 7th-century Abbey, which sits on the clifftop over the historic fishing port of Whitby, has been busy with people setting up for a vintage steam engine rally.

North Yorkshire Police said of the latest tragedy that the woman’s death is not being treated as suspicious. 

The force said in a statement: ‘It has been confirmed that the woman is aged in her 50s and from the local area.

‘Officers are supporting the woman’s family at this difficult time.

‘The death is not being treated as suspicious and a report is being prepared for the coroner.’

Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has information that could assist officers have been urged to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 12250143585.

The force underlined: ‘There are no connections between this sudden death, the sudden deaths of a man and woman below Whitby Abbey on Wednesday 30 July or the woman below Whitby Abbey on Thursday 31 July.’