TWO teenage girls were saved from drowning after they were spotted by a jogger.

A spokesman for the Sunderland's RNLI lifeboat station said a 17-year-old girl fell into the river while standing on the wrong side of the safety railings on the north side of the River Wear, opposite the Ropery Pub, in Deptford, in Sunderland, at 4.45pm on Wednesday.

Her 16-year-old friend jumped into the river to try and help her - but she also began to struggle as it was too high to reach the bank to scramble out.

Luckily, a man who was jogging along the river heard their screams and rang 999.

The two inshore lifeboats were joined in the rescue mission by an RAF search and rescue helicopter, along with personnel from Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade, Northumbria Police, North East Ambulance Service and Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team.

Fire fighters arrived at the scene first and managed to throw the girls a rescue line which they were able to use to stay afloat until the lifeboat arrived.

After being given first aid treatment onboard the lifeboat, the girls were transported back to Sunderland Marina, where they were further treated by paramedics, before being taken to hospital suffering from mild hypothermia.

Ian Rowan, Helmsman at Sunderland RNLI said: "There is no doubt that these two girls are very lucky to be alive.

"They owe their lives to the man who was jogging along the river bank and heard their shouts for help."