A 79-year-old who fell into the River Crouch struggled in the water for an hour before a passer-by rescued him.

The man had been working on his dinghy last Saturday, near the Hullbridge Yacht Club, when he fell into the river.

The man could not climb back into his boat and was very cold and in a distressed state when a passerby spotted him and pulled him out of the water.

The South Woodham Ferrers Coastguard Rescue Team, the Hazardous Area Response Team, Herts and Essex air ambulance, Burnham RNLI lifeboat and a Community First Responder all attended the scene.

The man was able to go home with a friend and did not require hospital treatment.

Scott Barnard, of South Woodham Ferrers Coastguard Rescue Team said:"We would really like to stress the importance of wearing lifejackets and following safety advice.”