A WHITBY fisherman's mental and physical strength saved his life after a dramatic rescue.

The fisherman was pulled into the water by his fishing gear and sustained a broken arm after being in the water for some time.

He was rescued by a nearby pleasure boat called the Summer Queen, who responded to a mayday call put out by another passenger on the fisherman's boat.

READ MORE: The top 10 restaurants in North Yorkshire according to TripAdvisor

Meanwhile Whitby's inshore lifeboat, piloted by crew member Matt Sharpe, made its way to the scene.

The Northern Echo:

Mr Sharpe was able to provide immediate casualty care.

The Coastguard Rescue 912 helicopter was launched and the casualty was airlifted to be hospital for treatment.

Matt Sharpe, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, said: "The outcome to this could have been very different, I would like to praise the fisherman for his strength and determination keeping hold of his lobster pot end despite having substantial injuries. Thank you also to those aboard the Summer Queen whose quick actions resulted in a life saved.

READ MORE: Look inside this stunning 8-bedroom mansion with outdoor swimming pool worth millions

"These situations remind us why we train week in week out so that it is second nature to quickly launch the boat and to react swiftly to all eventualities. Just last week we had practised a similar scenario as part of a routine training exercise."

---------

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated North Yorkshire Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054