A MAN was rescued from a fast-flowing section of the River Avon after he was seen to jump in.

The individual was taken to Salisbury District Hospital as a precaution after fire fighters pulled him out of the river near the Bishop's Mill on Monday evening, March 18.

Pedestrian Renato Nunes said he saw a man cross over the fence and jump into the river in the Maltings, near Sainsburys.

He added: "The water was running very fast and he literally disappeared under the bridge.

"When I saw it I immediately called 999 and they sent many policemen, ambulance and fire brigade to rescue the man.

"He went under the bridge and the buildings, and he was found on the other side of the building, at the mill."

Salisbury Journal: A man was seen to jump into the River Avon in the Maltings.A man was seen to jump into the River Avon in the Maltings. (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Nunes said the man was clutching reeds before he was rescued by firefighters on the other side of the Maltings near Bridge Street.

A spokesperson for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Two crews from Salisbury were called to Fisherton Street, Salisbury at 5.25pm yesterday evening (March 18) following reports of a person in the river.

"Firefighters assisted the casualty from the water and left them in the care of our ambulance colleagues. Our stop was in at 5.49pm."

A spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said: "We received a call shortly before 5.25pm yesterday to a report that a man had jumped into the river.

"The man was safely out of the water by 5.40pm and taken to Salisbury District Hospital as a precaution."

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said: “We were called at 5.25pm on Monday, March 18, to an incident in Salisbury.

"We sent two double-crewed land ambulances to the scene and conveyed one patient by land ambulance to Salisbury District Hospital.”