A rambler had to be rescued from a river after mistaking grass cuttings in the water for dry land.

He plummetted into the River Uck, in Uckfield, shortly after 11.30am on Saturday.

The man, in his 50s, was pulled out by firefighters when the alarm was raised by a nearby fisherman who heard his calls for help.

He was treated for shock by paramedics but was not seriously hurt.

One eye-witness said: "It's a steep drop from the bank into the river and he fell suddenly. It is up to neck deep in places and the bank is clay and very slippery so he was really struggling."