A drunken man had to be rescued after he was spotted rowing a boat in a fast-flowing river.

Volunteers from Littlehampton RNLI were called by the coastguard to Berry Hill, near Pulborough, at 10.15pm on Sunday.

Martin Blaker, the institute's spokesman, said: "We had a report from the Coastguard and Sussex Police that there was a drunk rowing his boat in the middle of the river.

"They had apparently had dealings with him before.

"We went all the way from Littlehampton to Berry Hill. We approached and spoke to him.

"He seemed all right and couldn't believe what all the fuss was.

"We assisted him to land, beached his boat for him and then we helped him set his tent up for the night so that he wouldn't go back in the water."