A MOTHER screamed for help after jumping into freezing waters to save her young son when he plunged eight feet into Weymouth Harbour.

Passers-by rushed to help, including Portland Coastguard sector manager Rob Sansom, who scrambled down on to pontoons.

He said: "The little boy was about two years old and he seemed to have fallen about eight feet into the harbour through the quayside railings near the Kings Arms.

"His mother jumped in to save him and the boy's jacket fortunately puffed up with air and kept him afloat.

"She screamed for help but was able to get herself and her son out of the water and on to the pontoons.

"I grabbed some blankets from my car and went to help them. The water was cold but fortunately they were close in and the mother was able to get them both out quite quickly.

"Dorset Ambulance were wonderful and were on the scene very quickly, where they were able to use a big heater in the back of the ambulance to dry and warm them both up."

Mr Sansom added that mother and son, who were shaken but unhurt by their ordeal, were then taken by ambulance to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester for precautionary checks.

He said: "They were both taken to hospital and I understand that it was likely that they would be kept in overnight."

He added that yesterday's incident was not the first time someone had fallen into that area of the harbour.

Mr Sansom said: "These incidents usually happen during the summer or at night when someone has been drinking.

"In this incident the little boy was very lucky that he was not seriously hurt because a fall from that height on to steel pontoons could have seriously injured him.

"We would urge anyone using the quayside in Weymouth to take extra care, especially if they have young children with them."