Watch thrill-seeker waterski across the River Wear in Durham

The moment was captured by Durham resident Mike Parker who said, while it was entertaining it was also a frustrating to see "taxpayers' money wasted by a large emergency response".

Several police vehicles raced to the scene as a young man swam across the river below the Framwellgate Waterside at about 3.40pm yesterday (Tuesday,July 19)

As police arrived on the scene the man set off on a waterski, with friends on the opposite back using a winch system to pull him across the river at speed.

Mr Parker said: “It was after work teams lunch when we saw this guy with a big water ski board. He was talking to someone on the riverbank.

“He swam across the Wear and climbed onto a long black sewage pipe and hung around for a bit.

“Meanwhile we heard sirens blaring we could see the police driving across the bridge.

"When they got there they couldn't actually get to him, because it's at a gated flats."

Mr Parker said he then got himself in the water and someone on the other side used a winch system to pull him across.

He added: "You can from the video he scoots across the water jumps up on a log on the weir and then comes down the other side.

"He was being videoed, so it must be some sort of Youtuber or Tiktokker, because he got a signal from whoever was down below that they hadn't got a very good video.

The second crossing

"So he climbed back up the weir and swum across to do it again. By this time one policeman had got to the edge of the gardens for the flat and three others were climbing over the fence.

"He was having a conversation with a policeman and then jumped back in the river and had another go."

Mr Parker said he had later noticed an ambulance and fire engine going over the bridge..

He said: "Someone reported it and a whole load of emergency services had been scrambled.

"We thought was amusing. There was speculation as to whether or not he would injure himself.

"It was entertaining what he was doing, but obviously as a Durham taxpayer it's also pretty annoying that he soaked up a whole load of emergency services time, because they came out to sure he's safe and did not injure himself.

"So for the group of us, it was funny but the wider consequences were clearly not thought through."

A spokesperson for the County Durham Fire and Rescue Service said: ""We were informed there was a male in the water and mobilised our water response team. 

"Boat crews from Durham and Bishop Auckland were dispatched to the scene. But an officer from arrived at the scene and was told they were not needed and the crews were stood down." 

A spokeswoman for Durham Constabulary said: “We received a report of a concern for the welfare of a man in the River Wear, in Durham City, shortly after 3.30pm yesterday (Tuesday).

“It is believed the caller thought the man was stuck and contacted us with good intentions.

“Officers gave the man advice about water safety and told not to re-enter the water after he climbed out on his own.”