A RESCUE of a man trapped in water in a Thurrock quarry was completed in the early hours of this morning by members of the emergency services.

Firefighters, police and ambulance crews were alerted were called to a nature reserve in Drake Road, Chafford Hundred, yesterday (Sunday, 17 January) at 10.54pm after a member of the public heard a man shouting for help.

Firefighters from Grays, the fire service's water rescue team from Leigh and its Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team attended. They worked closely with Essex Police, which deployed a drone to assist in the rescue, the Ambulance Service and the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART).

Station Manager Dan Wastell said: "Crews had to carry out an extensive search and found the man at the bottom of an 80ft quarry, partially in water. Crews kept the casualty calm while we carried out the rescue.

"Our USAR team worked at the top of the quarry to set up a rope rescue while our water rescue team launched a boat and cut through undergrowth to reach him.

"Crews worked well in very difficult circumstances, assisted by our partners, to reach the casualty on the boat and bring him to safety."

The man was left in the care of the Ambulance Service at 1.44am.