FRESH calls to bring an end to 'tombstoning' from the notoriously dangerous Devil's Bridge have been made after a teenager was hospitalised with back injuries.

On hot days, young daredevils are seen leaping 40ft from the Kirkby Lonsdale bridge into the River Lune; something that has in the past had fatal consequences.

In July 2012, 22-year-old Darrell Teal, from Manchester, died after passing out underwater when he jumped from the bridge.

Despite repeat warnings from local residents and a sign warning potential jumpers that it is illegal following the creation of a by-law, tombstoning continues to take place at the tourist hotspot.

Philip Svejnoha saw people risking their lives by jumping from the bridge on Sunday. He warned them not to jump but was ignored.

"There were a few of them jumping and I saw three lads lining up to get ready to jump and I thought about the lad who had died there a few years ago," said Mr Svejnoha, from Kirkby Lonsdale.

"I told them the story about that and they just thought it was funny. I told them it was illegal and they just said they would run away if they saw the police coming.

"There was nothing else I could do. Then later on an ambulance came and then an air ambulance came. I asked the crew what had happened and they said somebody had jumped off and had injured their back.

"It needs to be stopped but I don't know how it can be stopped. It is going to happen again."

Police have confirmed that an air ambulance was called to the scene to lift a 19-year-old man to Royal Preston Hospital to be treated for back injuries.

Inspector Paul Latham said: "There is a by-law that makes it an offence to jump off this bridge and there is a sign that makes this clear.

"The by-law was made in order to protect public safety and prevent loss of life. People jump off the bridge and get hurt and it needs to be prevented.

"We have prosecuted people for breaching this by-law. Last summer was not as hot so fewer people were jumping in, but in 2014 I am aware of at least three prosecutions.

"We can't have officers patrolling the bridge just in case somebody jumps. There are not the resources for that. People would rather we were using resources to do something more productive.

"On a hot summer's day, if we have the staff, we will have somebody down there on passing patrol. And we will try to prosecute if somebody tells us they have seen people jumping.

"When officers have spoken to people in the area they have also reported that people on the bridge are egging jumpers on.

"We ask the public to think before doing this, and imagine how they would feel if they egged somebody on to jump and that person then got injured or worse."

The area of water under the bridge is rocky, and some of the river is not deep enough for people jumping from the height of the bridge.

There is also a ledge under the water slightly downstream from the bridge. Water runs under the ledge as well and it is possible to become trapped underneath it if swimmers float below it while submerged.

After the creation of the by-law in 1998 by South Lakeland District Council, the county and town councils have been working closely with police to try and reduce the number of tombstoning injuries at the location.

Those who break the by-law can be fined up to £500.

Chairman of the town council Mark Day said: "We need to people of the death that occurred here a few years ago. This is a dangerous activity. It is easy to jump in and hit rocks.

"The thing that concerns us more than anything is that it does not just endanger the people who are jumping.

"It is potentially putting other lives at risk; the lives of people who try to help the person who injures themselves after they have jumped in."