A POLICE officer and former international water polo player used his swimming skills to save a drowning teenager in a late-night river rescue.

PC David Morgan, 32, threw off his belt, boots and tie before leaping into the River Wear, in Durham city centre, and swimming more than 20 yards to the struggling 19-year-old.

The teenager had been on a night out in the city and tumbled 30ft from the Framwellgate Bridge into deep water after he had climbed onto the bridge's stonework.

By the time PC Morgan reached him, shortly before 11.30pm on Tuesday, the man had already disappeared under the water several times and had swallowed a considerable amount of water.

PC Morgan, a member of the road patrols unit, was one of the first officers on the scene and he volunteered to be the one who swam out into the Wear's swirling currents.

The father-of-two said: "With my swimming background it made sense that I should be the one to go into the water.''

The pair were helped out of the river by PCs Mick Todd and Colin Gash.

PC Morgan, an officer for 13 years, said he and his crewmate were called to the scene after colleagues spotted the teenager going into the water.

"The lad was tired by the time I got to him. He had been under the water two or three times," said PC Morgan.

"I realised the water was fairly cold once I'd come back to the side, but I didn't notice it at the time. I have never had to do anything like this before.''

The un-named teenager, from Gilesgate, was detained overnight in the city's University Hospital of North Durham for observation.

Chief Inspector John Bell said: "Even for a capable swimmer this was a very risky thing to do, given all the obvious dangers of venturing out into deep river water.

"PC Morgan's unselfish bravery was highly commendable and was undoubtedly instrumental in averting a potential tragedy."