A MAN was taken to hospital with a broken ankle after falling off a jet ski in the North Sea.

The incident happened at around 12.30pm on Sunday at Cullercoats Bay, North Tyneside.

Captain Peter Lilley, of Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade, said: “Humber Coastguard paged the brigade along with Cullercoats RNLI Inshore Lifeboat after receiving a report that a man had fallen off his personal water craft approximately 200 metres from Cullercoats Bay, with the craft then landing on him, which led to him breaking his left ankle.

“When brigade members and crew from the lifeboat arrived on scene the casualty had been brought ashore and was on the south side of the bay, where he then received immediate first aid attention from the lifeboat crew.

“After a short while an ambulance arrived and the casualty was then transported via a stretcher into the ambulance, before being taken to hospital for further assessment and treatment.”

Officers from Northumbria Police also attended the incident.