A fisherman helped to save a drowning man who had fallen from an anchored barge while taking a breath of fresh air.

The drama unfolded just off Brightlingsea before dawn on Saturday.

Paul Scott, 42, of Elm Drive, Brightlingsea, was on a fishing trip in his boat, Onward, when he leapt to the rescue of Howard Makin.

He said: "It was dark outside and I went out to fill a kettle to make a cup of tea when I heard a man shouting. At first I couldn't see him, and didn't know what was happening, but it was a full moon and I suddenly saw a shape.

"It was a calm night which was lucky because if there had been any wind I might not have seen him."

Mr Makin, who is in his mid-30s and from Sussex, had been a passenger on Reminder, a barge off Brightlingsea. He had fallen in when he went to get some fresh air just before 4am.

As soon as Mr Scott heard Mr Makin's screams he turned his boat around and yelled to him to keep shouting so he knew where he was.

He pulled Mr Makin over to his boat and tried to drag him aboard, but he was too heavy. Mr Scott said he thought Mr Makin must have been in the water for about 30 minutes and said: "He could not help himself any more. He was just exhausted."

Mr Scott tied a rope around Mr Makin, then pulled alongside another fishing boat. With the help of David Hunt, also from Brightlingsea, Mr Makin was pulled to safety.

Thames Coastguard at Walton and an ambulance were called to the scene, and Mr Makin was taken to Colchester General Hospital suffering from hypothermia. He was discharged later in the day.

Mr Scott said it was lucky Mr Makin had been on the side of the boat where the door was, otherwise he might not have heard him.

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