A man had to be rescued after falling into the River Wensum.

The emergency response happened in Norwich by the historic Bishop Bridge, close to the cathedral quarter, on today.

Firefighters from Sprowston and Carrow, a fire officer, East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) paramedics, an ambulance officer, and members of Norfolk Police were called at 9.30am.

Stefan Ryder, Carrow fire station green watch manager, said: 'A man had fallen into the river. A member of the public spotted the man and threw a lifering to him.

'By the time firefighters arrived the man had been in the water for between 10 and 15 minutes.'

He added the rescue took five minutes.

'He was handed into the hands of the ambulance service. He was very cold,' Mr Ryder said.

He believed the man was middle-aged.

A spokesman for the EEAST said: 'An ambulance crew and ambulance officer were dispatched to the scene.

'They treated a man who was conscious and breathing and was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital as a precautionary measure.'