A man has been taken to hospital and sectioned after falling from underneath Brighton Palace Pier.

Emergency services rushed to Madeira Drive after reports of a man climbing on girders underneath the pier around 8.45pm on Tuesday.

The man later fell into the sea and was rescued by the coastguard and RNLI crew, before he was taken to hospital where he was treated for exposure.

Eyewitnesses said the incident was shocking.

Speaking to The Argus a fisherman, 55, from Kemp Town said: “I saw the man, who was in his 40’s, on the boardwalk of the Palace Pier and security guards escorted him out the entrance. He was screaming all sorts.

“Then he came down to Albion Groyne next to the pier and I thought here we go again.

“He made his way to the girders of the pier and climbed all the way to just under the first dome, and then the police and coastguard turned up.

“He was right underneath the boardwalk and you could hardly see him. It looked like he didn’t want to be found.

“They were looking for him and could not see him until he fell into the water - like he was unconscious.

“A woman was screaming, but the lifeboat did their job beautifully and fished him out the water.”

According to the fisherman friends of the man, who turned up, said the climber was a visitor from Scotland.

The man was then taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital and sectioned.

Shoreham Coastguard tweeted: “Shoreham Coastguard team tasked yesterday evening with RNLI Brighton to report of male in difficulties in the water in Brighton.

“Casualty recovered by lifeboat and taken to boathouse. South East Coast Ambulance and Brighton and Hove Police also on scene.”

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said: “Police, coastguards and a RNLI inshore lifeboat crew attended Palace Pier, Brighton, at 8.45pm on Tuesday after a man was reported to be climbing on girders under the main decking and heading away from the beach.

“At around 9.10pm he fell into the sea but was brought ashore by coastguard and lifeboat personnel.

“He was treated for exposure at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, and later detained under the Mental Health Act.”