A MAN had to be rescued after he jumped into the sea off Brighton Palace Pier on Tuesday evening.

He could not swim back to the shore and cut his arms, legs and chest as he clung to the pier supports to stop himself from drowning.

Brighton Lifeboat got a call at 5.40pm. When they arrived, lifeguards had already reached the swimmer, who grabbed onto to their rescue board to stay afloat.

The lifeboat took him to safety at Brighton Marina where the ambulance service took over.

Helmsman Daniel Gurr said: “The quick thinking of the lifeguards and the quick launch of Brighton lifeboat saved this man’s life. Without the combined actions of the city's lifeguards and volunteer crew this could have had a very different outcome.”