Firefighters had to use an aerial ladder platform to help ambulance crews treat a man who encountered breathing difficulties while on scaffolding in Costessey.

Appliances from Earlham, Sprowston and Carrow were called to a building site in Poethlyn Drive in Costessey at just after 1.10pm today to help the ambulance service with a patient on some scaffolding who was assessed using the basket from the aerial ladder platform.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) said: 'We were called at 12.47pm and had a rapid response vehicle and ambulance attend.

'The initial report came in as a patient with breathing problems. We believe it was a man in his 20s. The patient also had back pain as well.

'The fire service brought him down and we put him on a stretcher, treated him at the scene and took him to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for further assessment.'