A no-nonsense ferryman rescued a man from drowning underneath the Prince of Wales Pier today (Thursday August 23).

Ryan Medlyn works for Fal River aboard the Tamar Belle, and spotted the man clinging onto the bottom of the pier on a trip back from St Mawes at around 1pm.

He said: "I was coming in through approaching the pier and saw the bloke hanging off like a spider monkey.

"The first thing I thought when I saw him was: 'don't get Snapchat out!'

"He was there shouting for help, the pier master came out with a grab bag and I said 'if you chuck us a life ring I'll go and grab him.'

"I told him not to be stupid and get out of the water. He just said he'd fallen in and he needs some help.

"I ain't pulled no one out of the river for years, it was the highlight of the day! His mum has got hold of me on Facebook and said thanks, and that he's doing fine."

Initial attempts were made to save the man with a throw line, but as he cannot swim he was unable to let go of the pier's pile to grab hold of it.

Ryan, who has been working on the boats since he was 16, then decided to take things into his own hands and jumped into the water to save him.

After rescuing the man and seeing that he was tended to by the lifeboat crew and ambulance service, the 33-year-old hopped back aboard the Tamar Belle and finished the rest of his shift in soggy jeans.

Falmouth Coastguard Rescue Team, Falmouth Inshore Lifeboat, Devon and Cornwall Police, South Western Ambulance Service Trust and Bristol Ambulance EMS all attended the scene and arrived to find the casualty had already been pulled from the water.