A MAN in his 80s was rescued from a freezing river after he had bravely plunged in to save a woman.

The dramatic incident unfolded on the River Stour in Sudbury yesterday afternoon. Emergency crews said the man was immersed in the cold water for 20 minutes and the woman for 10.

They were alerted just after 3pm following reports that two people were in the river close to Quay Lane near the town’s rowing club.

An air ambulance, police, fire, the coastguard and paramedics were scrambled, with the first ambulance arriving at 3.15pm.

When they arrived the woman had managed to get out of the water and onto the river bank – but the man was still in the river.

It is unclear whether the two knew each other, or exactly how the initial accident happened.

An ambulance spokeswoman said: “It seems the elderly female may have fallen in the river and the man had gone in to rescue her but she managed to get out. The man was brought out with assistance and both were treated on the banks of the river.

“The man had been in for at least 20 minutes and the woman for 10 in very cold water so they were suffering from shock and cold and we had to observe them before taking them to hospital.”

She said both were conscious and breathing with no reported injuries from their ordeal.

The pair were taken to West Suffolk Hospital in the same ambulance for further treatment.

A mechanic working near the incident in Quay Lane said there was a sudden rush of police and ambulances just after 3pm.

He said: “The helicopter was overhead and at least three police cars and two ambulances came flying down the road. I saw paramedics put someone in the back of the ambulance and heard two people had been rescued from the river close to one of the bridges crossing the Stour.”