A MAN who fell into a river in the early hours had to be rescued by fire crews helped by a police helicopter.

A search operation lasting several hours was launched on Sunday morning after reports a man had fallen into the River Ouse, close to the A27 near Lewes, after the town’s bonfire celebrations had ended.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service received a call at 3.22am and sent two swift water rescue teams and the technical rescue team from Lewes and Crowborough fire stations to start the search at Southease and the Cuilfail Tunnel.

With the help of a police helicopter the man was found on the river bank in a spot that was difficult for crews to reach.

A passer-by, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I saw the ambulance service arrive as well as police and a rescue team.

“A helicopter was brought in to search the area.

“It was very dark and they were up against some tough conditions.

“One lane was closed off on the A27 because of the search.

“They were actively looking for someone in the water.

“The team put a line over the side of the river bank and managed to bring the man up in a basket-type stretcher.

“They then handed him over to the ambulance so paramedics could give him a once over before he was taken away.

“There was no one around from Lewes Bonfire because the rescue took place next to the main road.”

The inaccessible location required the use of an inflatable path to reach the casualty, who was conscious at the time but suffering from the cold temperature of the water.

Crews carried the man from the river and into the care of the ambulance service before he was taken to hospital for treatment.

The fire service’s borough commander Julie King said: “Access to the river at this remote location proved very challenging for the crews involved in the incident.

“It was very dark and cold and the teams had covered quite some distance on foot, sometimes running in full kit, to locate the casualty.

“They worked hard and with ingenuity to bring the casualty to safety.”

The fire service did not know how the man came to be in the river and told The Argus they couldn’t confirm whether he had attended Lewes Bonfire.

Emergency services finally left the scene at around 6.15am.

Police estimate that some 60,000 people attended the bonfire celebrations in nearby Lewes, although no official count was carried out.

Paramedics treated 80 people for mostly minor injuries.