A MAN who fell into the River Tees was rescued by a quick-thinking dog walker who has been praised by police.

Emergency services were called to River Terrace, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, in County Durham, at about 10.42am, yesterday (Tuesday, May 27), after receiving reports of an incident involving an elderly male casualty.

It is thought that the man had fallen over whilst walking alongside the river and ended up in the water.

His plight was discovered by a dog walker who passed the scene shortly after the incident occurred.

The unknown Good Samaritan is believed to have pulled the stricken victim from the river and helped him to safety on the riverside footpath and alerted the emergency services.

Officers from Durham Police, members of the Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, and the ambulance service attended the scene after the alarm was raised.

Sergeant Simon Rogers, from the Barnard Castle and Teesdale Neighbourhood Police Team said: “We attended a report of an elderly person having fallen over into the river at Middleton-in-Teesdale.

“On arrival we were met by a local dog walker who had pulled the person from the water and to safety.

“Police were then assisted by both members of the ambulance and fire service who gave the person first aid and then took them to hospital for further checks.

“We would like to thank the dog walker for their fast response, as things could have ended much worse if they had not noticed the person in the water.”

A spokeswoman for the fire service said that special rescue crews from Barnard Castle and Middleton-in-Teesdale had attended the scene, where they had helped paramedics to lift the casualty from the riverside path and into an ambulance.

After receiving first aid at the scene, the man was taken to hospital for further examinations and treatment.

Although his injuries are not known, he is not thought to have been seriously hurt.