EMERGENCY services responded in force when a man was pulled from a river in a daylight rescue.

Three Gwent police officers spent about 30 minutes in the freezing water before they could pull the 52-year-old man to safety.

Four fire appliances, a rescue tender and ambulance staff were at the scene near the Up and Under Club in Pontypool at about 3pm on Sunday afternoon.

He is said to be in a stable condition after being taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport. He was treated for hypothermia.

A member of the public dialled 999 after spotting the man, who is from Pontypool.

A police spokeswoman said the incident was not being treated as suspicious.