Two people jumped to the aid of a person who had fallen into the river in Norwich yesterday evening before all three were rescued by emergency crews.

Eastern Daily Press: Someone has gone into the water by a Wetherspoon's in Norwich (Image: Archant)Someone has gone into the water by a Wetherspoon's in Norwich (Image: Archant) (Image: Archant)

It happened at the River Wensum, near the Riverside Entertainment complex and the Lady Julian Bridge, at around 6.40pm yesterday.

Grainne Buckley, who lives on the other side of the river, saw the drama unfold from her balcony.

Eastern Daily Press: Police cars parked off King Street. Photo: Geraldine ScottPolice cars parked off King Street. Photo: Geraldine Scott (Image: Geraldine Scott)

She said: 'I saw a person fall in over the right-hand side, but I don't know what happened whether they jumped or tripped. They went in and began to panic; flailing and calling for help.'

Mrs Buckley said she thought the person was a teenage boy, but video which emerged online since seemed to show a woman rescued.

Eastern Daily Press: Someone was pulled from a river in Norwich on Tuesday evening (Image: Ryan Williams)Someone was pulled from a river in Norwich on Tuesday evening (Image: Ryan Williams) (Image: Archant)

People Mrs Buckley assumed were friends tried to get a life ring to the woman.

'But they were panicking too much for it to reach them,' she said. 'An adult came along and started to climb down the bridge and a mate – I assume they were a mate – swam over from the other side and managed to calm them down.'

Eastern Daily Press: Someone was pulled from a river in Norwich on Tuesday evening (Image: Ryan Williams)Someone was pulled from a river in Norwich on Tuesday evening (Image: Ryan Williams) (Image: Archant)

Three fire crews rushed to the scene and arrived before other emergency services.

Stefan Rider, station manager at Carrow Fire Station, said when they arrived there were three people in the water and one of his firefighters jumped in to help.

Mr Rider said: 'We had a person who fell into the water and two further people who were in there too. One of the personnel from Carrow went into the water to rescue the person who fell in.'

The crews then used a rescue stretcher to help the other two people to safety.

Although Mr Rider could not give much detail on the conditions of the trio, he said they were 'conscious and very cold'.

They were then handed into the care of the ambulance trust.

As well as three fire crews, police and paramedics were on the scene.