AMBULANCE crews had to coax a man out of the River Foss in York after he jumped into the water, apparently to escape people who were chasing him.

The man, aged in his 20s, jumped into the water close to the car park at the rear of the Evening Press building in Walmgate.

A security guard at Rowntree Wharf, on the opposite side of the river, saw the man in the water and called an ambulance at about 5.45pm.

Crews were on the scene within two minutes.

Cycling paramedic Mark Inman, who was involved in the rescue, said: "There was a man in the water refusing to come out because he had been pursued and he was concerned that these people were still around.

"As soon as we were able to reassure him that there was nobody about, he came out.

"He was obviously really scared to have jumped in the river, because it was really cold last night.

"He had no injuries, he was just cold and wet and we had to help him get out because it was a very steep bank."

The man was taken to York Hospital for precautionary checks.

A York Police spokesman said officers were called to the scene and the man was later interviewed by an officer, but there was no complaint made and investigations had ceased.

Updated: 10:54 Thursday, October 23, 2003