FIREFIGHTERS were scrambled to rescue a man from an icy river.

A man was discovered in the River Tonge on Sunday morning and all three emergency services rushed to the scene to save him from the freezing waters.

Hoards of police, paramedics and firefighters from both Bolton Central and Farnworth fire stations lined Riverbanks, near Leverhulme Park.

The emergency responders found the man had got out of the water but was struggling on the steep banking. Firefighters had to used ropes to pull him back to safety.

Once the man had reached the top of the banking, ambulance paramedics then began their health checks before taking him to hospital, with a North West Ambulance Service spokesman saying he was 'unwell from being in the water'.

A spokesman for the fire service said: "Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service was called to Riverbanks, Bolton at 9.30am on Sunday, December 1 to reports of a person in the water.

“Two fire engines from Bolton Central and Farnworth, the water unit from Eccles and the Technical Response Unit attended the scene.

“A man was out the water when crews arrived and firefighters used ropes to extricate him up steep banking before passing him into the care of NWAS.

“Crews left the scene at around 11.30am.”