A man feared he had broken his back when he was involved in a collision with a jet ski.

Daniel Molloy was on a jet ski near Shoreham Harbour when he was knocked into the sea by another jet ski, being ridden by his brother.

The accident left Mr Molloy, of Emerald Quay, Shoreham, paralysed in the sea, with injuries to his lower back.

A safety boat operated by Sussex Watercrafts witnessed the incident, at 2.30pm on Tuesday and immediately called Solent Coastguard, which launched Shoreham's inshore lifeboat.

Six minutes later the lifeboat was in the water beside Mr Molloy, who was clutching to his bike.

The tide was pushing Mr Molloy and his brother perilously close to rocks near the harbour entrance. Despite his injuries, the lifeboat crew had to scoop Mr Molloy from the water.

Helmsman Dave Cassan said: "We were extremely concerned for Mr Molloy.

"We know jet bikes are capable of going at 70mph and if he had been hit at that speed he would almost certainly have broken his back.

"Although his injuries were severe, we had no choice but to lift him out of the water because he was drifting so close to the rocks."

Back on dry land, Mr Molloy was met by paramedics who eased him on to a backboard and lifted him into a waiting ambulance. He was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Doctors said he had not broken his back, but was being treated for a broken left wrist. Mr Cassan said: "We were relieved to hear he is making a good recovery."