Rescuers raced against a rising tide to save a Woolwich man who suffered spinal injuries when he fell 25ft from a riverside wall during a night out.

The RNLI Tower lifeboat crew were called from Waterloo Bridge to SE18 on Monday (May 4) at 6.44pm after the man plummeted on to an exposed riverbed from the River Thames wall. A friend who tried to help him, sliding down the river wall and also injuring himself.

When they arrived, the first man was being treated by paramedics on the foreshore of the south side of the river, about 200m upriver from the Woolwich ferry terminal.

Lifeboat helmsman Mick Neil said: "It appeared the two men were on a night out when one of them went over the handrail and fell about 25ft onto the exposed river foreshore below, injuring his spine. 

News Shopper:

"His friend then slid down the vertical river wall in attempt to help him, suffering cuts, bruises and an injury to his ankle.

"We arrived to find the Met Police and London Ambulance Service already on scene. From the start the rescue was time critical as the rising tide was rapidly covering the area of ground we were all on."

The patient was placed onto a spinal board, but the rescue team was soon cut off by the rising tide.

Mr Neil said: "As always with suspected spinal injuries you have to be very careful when moving someone. He was conscious throughout but in a lot of pain.  

"Once he was secure we got him, his friend, the police and paramedics onto the lifeboat and took everyone to Woolwich Arsenal Pier where we were met by London Ambulance Service crew."