FIRE crews say they rescued a woman from the water in Dorchester-on-Thames last night. 

Three fire engine and a 'rescue tender' attended the water rescue, which took place at around 6.30pm. 

The fire and rescue service say they quickly discovered a 'lady struggling, partially submerged in the water.'

It added that she was 'extremely fortunate' not to have sustained serious injury.

Firefighters wearing specialist water rescue equipment consisting of dry suits, flotation devices and a rescue boat entered the water to rescue the woman, who was then placed in the care of South Central Ambulance teams for medical assessment and Thames Valley Police for incident investigation.

Incident Commander, Crew Manager Michael Milling, said: “This incident showed the interoperability of the emergency services and highlighted that our firefighters have comprehensive water rescue equipment and skills, and regularly train for such scenarios including the use of our rescue boat. 

"On this occasion, considering the distance the lady had swam from the bank and the length of time she had been exposed to very low water temperatures, she was extremely fortunate not to have sustained serious injury.

"The combination of these hazards can all too often lead to dire consequences and I urge the public to consider that even though inland water may look safe and inviting, particularly on a warm day, the temperature of the water can remain very cold and there may be hidden currents.

"It is extremely difficult to estimate the depth of water and shallow water can deepen suddenly, whilst banks can be steep and slippery making it difficult to get back on to dry ground safely”