A man in his 40s was taken to hospital after the coastguard was called to reports of someone jumping off a pier.

Shoreham RNLI's inshore lifeboat was launched at about 3pm yesterday to reports of a man jumping from Worthing Pier into the water.

The man was saved from drowning by the crew and treated by South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB) before being taken to Worthing Hospital.

A SECAMB spokeswoman said they were called at 3.20pm to treat the man who was suffering from being in and swallowing the icy seawater.

He was conscious when he was taken to hospital and was not in a life-threatening condition.

Shoreham lifeboat coxswain Steve Smith said: “The man was distressed and cold but we were just glad we were able to find him and persuade him to get into the boat.”