FIRE crews and police rescued a man from the Manchester Ship Canal early today after he was spotted floundering in the water in Salford.

The fire service inshore rescue boat was used in the incident in Ordsall and firefighters got the man to safety using lines and ladders. He was then taken to hospital.

A fire service spokesman said: "Police officers who were first on the scene had managed to reach him, but were having difficulty actually getting him out of the water. Fortunately he appeared to be unharmed."