A landlord has told how he dived into a river next to his pub in a desperate attempt to rescue a pensioner who died after falling in.

The man, in his 70s, was taken to hospital after being pulled out of the water in Wye, near Ashford, but died later in hospital.

The tragedy unfolded after the victim was spotted unresponsive in the river near The Tickled Trout pub in Bridge Street, Wye, on Friday morning.

Tom Dixon, landlord at the pub, dived into the river to try and rescue the man.

"I heard a commotion outside and ran out where a girl was standing on the bridge shouting that there was a man in the river," he explained.

"I dived in without really thinking about it, and it was only really when I got out to him that I realised I could be in a bit of trouble myself.

"I was fully clothed and they were really heavy, weighing me down, and they were doing the same to him; he was clearly unconscious, from the ground he just looked like clothes.

"When I got there I managed to grab hold of him and swim to shore, where we tried doing CPR until a police officer arrived with a defibrillator."

The man was then passed into the care of paramedics who treated him at the scene before taking him to the William Harvey Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

"I don't know much about who he is but I want to pass on my condolences to his family," said Mr Dixon.

"It was only really when I got out to him that I realised I could be in a bit of trouble myself..."

A spokesman said: "Police were called at about 7.05am on Friday due to concern for a man who was found unresponsive in the river near Bridge Street, Wye.

"Officers attended and the man in his 70s, who was removed from the water by members of the public, received treatment at the scene before being taken to a local hospital where he sadly died.

"The death is not being treated as suspicious and a report has been prepared for the coroner. The man’s next of kin are aware."

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