A MAN has been pulled out of the River Wye in Hereford.

A passing BT engineer is believed to have helped rescue the man in his late teens who had fallen into the water by the Left Bank on Bridge Street about 7.15am yesterday morning.

The engineer used a lifebuoy on the banks of the river to help drag the man up steps and out of the water.

He was then treated by paramedics who scaled the gates of the Left Bank to treat the patient who was taken to Hereford County Hospital.

Left Bank operations manager Rob Mitchell, who was called by paramedics to let them out of the Left Bank courtyard, said the BT employee did a great job.

"I think the patient was okay," he said.

"Paramedics had already scaled the gates and they needed them unlocking to get him out on a stretcher.

"Unfortunately I didn't catch the engineer's name but we would like to find him and offer him a couple of drinks here."

West Midlands Ambulance Service said a paramedic area support officer and an ambulance were called.

"On arrival, there was a hypothermic young man who had been pulled from the water," said a WMAS spokesman.

"It appears his rescuer had to jump over a fence to get to the man, waded into the water and dragged him out.

"Had it not been for his actions, this could have ended very differently."