A woman seen struggling in the water in Falmouth last night had to be rescued twice by a member of the public after she jumped back in.

The alarm was first raised just before 5.30pm, when guests at the Greenbank Hotel told staff they could see a woman in the River Fal who appeared to be struggling.

Ben Young, managing director of the hotel, said: “She was flailing her arms looking quite in distress. We tried to get her out and a member of the public went in to get her.”

A customer who had been at the adjoining Working Boat pub dived into the water and managed to get her out, with hotel staff giving her a dressing gown and towels.

However, Mr Young added: “She was a bit incoherent unfortunately and jumped back in.”

It was at this point that the emergency services were called, while the member of the public returned to the water to get her back out again.

Mr Young praised the emergency services, who he said arrived “like as shot.”

Falmouth Coastguard Rescue Team were scrambled, along with the Falmouth Inshore Lifeboat.

A spokesperson for Falmouth Coastguard Rescue Team said: "On arriving at the scene it was discovered that a member of the public had entered the water and rescued the female."

The woman was checked over by ambulance crews and taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

Mr Young thanked the member of the public who jumped in to help, adding: “We did buy him a few drinks afterwards.”