Members of the public helped save a man, after his car plunged into the dock.

The white Ford Kuga was halfway off the slipway into Whitehaven harbour, when passers by managed to get ropes around the vehicle and hold it back - preventing it from slipping completely into the water.

One man is understood to have worked to smash the window to help free the driver, a 31-year-old man from the town.

Police, fire and ambulance crews were all called to the incident at about 9.40pm yesterday.

A spokesman for Cumbria Police said the driver was freed from the vehicle within about 10 minutes.

He was initially taken to the West Cumberland Hospital for assessment, but was not believed to be injured.

Two fire engines from Whitehaven fire station and one from Workington were all dispatched to help.

The swift actions of the public have been praised.

The Cumbria Police spokesman said a man had been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, and was still in custody this morning.

A spokesman for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service said: "There was quite a crowd when we got there.

"Some people managed to pull the car and the man out and when we arrived, we recovered the vehicle."