Officer rescues woman from river

The woman was found clinging onto a boat on the River Lagan

A 32-year-old woman has been rescued from the River Lagan in Belfast.

Police found her clinging to a boat beside Queen's Bridge after receiving a report at about 0715 GMT on Thursday.

One of the officers, Constable Gary O'Neill, had just come on duty when he got the 999 call. He jumped into the icy water and brought her to safety.

She was taken to hospital but her condition is not thought to be life threatening. Constable O'Neill said it was all in the line of duty.

"As my colleague was trying to get her attention, her head started to go under," he said.

"I took the decision then to go down the steps and jump in, swim over to her and secured the lifeline around her waist and assisted her back over to the side where the steps were."