A man was rescued in a five-hour operation after getting into difficulties in Meldon Reservoir yesterday (Tuesday).

Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service crews from Hatherleigh, Okehampton and Camels Head in Plymouth, attended at about 5.30pm to an emergency call about an injured man.

A specialist water rescue team joined them and the casualty was taken to shore with the help of South West Water which operate the reservoir. The man was handed over to the care of a South Western Ambulance Service crew on the shore who took him to Derriford Hospital.

A fire service spokesman said: “Crews were mobilised following a call requesting assistance to convey a male with suspected dislocated or broken bones from a location within Meldon Reservoir to the ambulance.

“Crews mobilised the technical rescue boat team, who in conjunction with South West Water transported the male across the reservoir and left him in the care of ambulance crews.”

A South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) spokesman said: “We were called at 5.22pm on yesterday to an incident by Meldon Reservoir. We sent one double-crewed land ambulance and an operations officer to the scene. We conveyed one patient by land ambulance to Derriford Hospital.”

The incident closed at about 10.40pm yesterday.