Holidaymakers to the Broads are being urged to take care on boats after a man was airlifted to hospital after losing balance on a pleasure cruiser.

Eastern Daily Press: Volunteers from Hemsby Lifeboat at St Benet's Abbey on the River Bure after a man broke his ankle after jumping onto a river bank on September 20, 2020. Picture: Hemsby LifeboatVolunteers from Hemsby Lifeboat at St Benet's Abbey on the River Bure after a man broke his ankle after jumping onto a river bank on September 20, 2020. Picture: Hemsby Lifeboat (Image: Hemsby Lifeboat)

The 47-year-old tourist, from Skegness, was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital at 3.30pm on Sunday, September 20 after breaking his right ankle by jumping to safety to a bank off the River Bure in St Benet’s Abbey, near Ludham.

Chris Batten, helmsman of Hemsby Lifeboat, who attended at 1pm, said: “A 47-year-old man on holiday with his partner was mooring his hire boat on the bank but it was not secure. He was on the side of the boat and lost his balance. This was a genuine accident but extra care must be taken when getting off a boat.”

Eastern Daily Press: Emergency services on the scene of the incident on the River Bure at St Benet's Abbey on September 20, 2020, after a man broke an ankle while jumping from a boat onto the bank. He lost his balance while attempting to moor up. Picture: Christopher BrownEmergency services on the scene of the incident on the River Bure at St Benet's Abbey on September 20, 2020, after a man broke an ankle while jumping from a boat onto the bank. He lost his balance while attempting to moor up. Picture: Christopher Brown

MORE: Warning after two people suffer serious injuries in boat propeller incidentsAs well as Hemsby Lifeboat and East Anglian Air Ambulance, two coastguard crews and paramedics from the ambulance service were called.

A spokesperson for the air ambulance said the man had serious leg injuries.