A CANOEIST had to be rescued from Diglis Weir in Worcester.

The man thought to be in his late teens or early 20s was plucked from the water by firefighters using a rescue boat at about 3.50pm yesterday. He was discovered after West Midlands Ambulance Service received an emergency call from a member of the public.

The man got into difficulty at the barrier that is suspended above the water at Diglis Weir in Diglis Basin.

Ambulance crews arrived to find the man in the basin, off Diglis Dock Road, separated from his kayak and clinging to the barrier.

An ambulance service spokesman said: “The fire service were in attendance and rescued the man using their rescue boat. The man was in the water for at least 25 minutes. He was treated at the scene for the effects of being in cold water and was transferred to Worcestershire Royal Hospital as a precaution.”

Richie Jordan, station manager at Worcester fire station, said: “When we arrived the young man had become separated from his boat and he was actually stuck on the floating barrier and was unable to get off.

“Our firefighters set up rescue ropes in case he entered the water then we launched our boat and we were able to rescue him quickly.”

The man’s condition was not known when the Worcester News went to press.