Man rescued from river after trying to retrieve mobile phone
Fire crews had to rescue a man from a river in freezing temperatures after he waded in to save his mobile phone and then couldn't get out.
The emergency service was called to the River Stour Kidderminster town centre just before 2am this morning at the rear of Kidderminster College.
Hereford and Worcester Fire Service said the man, understood to be in his 20s, went into the river to retrieve a mobile phone but struggled to get out again because of the steep river banks.
A second person then called 999 fearing the man may fall and become submerged and a rescue pump from Kidderminster Fire Station attended.
A rescue boat had been deployed but was then told it wasn't required.
Temperatures had dropped below 0C (32F) in the town during the night and fire crews used a triple extension ladder to help the man from the river which was around 3ft deep.
He was checked over by the ambulance service but he didn't sustain any injuries.
Watch commander for Kidderminster Fire Station, Chris White, said: "We used a triple extension ladder to aid one person in the river and he was able to use it climb out. It was a cold night, there wasn't much flow to the water and the river wasn't deep or there could have concerns with hypothermia."
