A woman was rescued from the River Wensum by firefighters.

Police received a call at about 8.30pm tonight that a woman had gone into the water close to Tanners Court, not far from Wensum Park.

Fire crews from Earlham, Sprowston and Carrow, along with Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service's rescue boat went to the scene and helped get the woman, believed to be in her 40s, out of the water.

Simon Mason, from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, said: 'A lady had got into the water. From what we could gather, she had been with friends and had decided to get into the water.

'She had been in for about 15 or so minutes before we got the call.

'When we arrived, police and ambulance were in attendance and, between us, we launched our rescue sled into the river.

'They made contact with the lady and talked her into getting onto the rescue sled and then we brought her bankside. She was then taken off to the hospital to be checked.' Mr Mason said: 'She was very cold when we got her. This wasn't the best of weather to go for a swim in the river.'

This week is the Chief Fire Officers Association's national Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Week.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance service said the woman had been taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital as a precaution, that she was conscious and breathing and her condition was not believed to be life-threatening.

The ambulance service sent a rapid response vehicle, an ambulance crew and an ambulance officer to the scene.