Man rescued from Lewes river

A police helicopter was called in to help with search efforts after a call to emergency services at around 3.20am to say a man had fallen into the river.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service confirmed two swift water rescue teams and the technical rescue unit from Lewes and Crowborough fire stations searched the river starting at Southease and the Cuilfail Tunnel.

The helicopter found the man on the river bank at a location that was very difficult for crews to reach.

A fire service spokesman said the inaccessible location required the use of an inflatable path to reach the casualty who was conscious but suffering from the extreme cold.

Crews carried the casualty from the river and passed him in to the care of the ambulance service to be taken to hospital, before leaving the scene at 6.15am, the spokesman added.

Borough commander Julie King said: "Access to the river at this remote location proved very challenging for the crews involved in the incident.

"It was very dark and cold and the teams had covered quite some distance on foot, sometimes running in full kit, to locate the casualty.

"They worked hard and with ingenuity to bring the casualty to safety."