Coastguard Rescue officers from Seaham escorted the man from the beach to the clifftop, where he was left in the care of police.
An RNLI spokesperson said: "The D class lifeboat landed on the beach and two of our crew approached the casualty who was then identified as the missing person.
"Volunteers stayed with the vulnerable person who they assessed as fit and well until Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team and Police arrived to take them into care.”
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