A BRAVE harbourside worker has told how he dragged a man out of the sea in a heroic rescue attempt.

Jake Short, who works at Bennett’s on the Waterfront fish and chip shop in Weymouth, said he went outside the shop to buy the daily newspapers about 11.30am this morning.

The 21-year-old said he was then told by a passer-by of a man struggling in the water by the town bridge.

He added: “I went over near the man but couldn’t reach him, so I just jumped straight in dressed in all my clothes to try and help.

“It was a joint effort alongside four other people but I was proud to be part of the rescue.

“My clothes were dragging me down so I lost some of them and dived in again.

“The man who was struggling was in his 50’s, and with the four other people I pulled him up out of the water onto a nearby dinghy.

“The coastguards said the man was then put into a waiting ambulance and taken to hospital.

“The water was absolutely freezing but I’m just glad we all managed to help the man.”

Mark Bennett, owner of the fish and chip shop, described Mr Short as ‘a real hero’.

He added: “Jake went out to get the newspapers and the next thing I knew came back in the shop soaking wet and in just his pants.

“He then told me what had happened and I couldn’t believe it.”

A spokesperson for Portland coastguard said they were contacted by the South West Ambulance Service at 11.59am to a report of a person in the water adjacent to the town bridge.

The spokesperson added: “Wyke Regis coastguard rescue officers and the Weymouth inshore lifeboat were sent to the scene.

“The man was rescued from the water but as a result was suffering from suspected hyperthermia.

“It is believed members of the public tried to assist and one member of the public pulled him out of the water.

“He was then transferred to an ambulance and taken to Dorset County Hospital.”