A Bristol dock worker received head and chest injuries after plunging 20ft into the hold of a container ship.

The man, in his mid-40s, fell head first as he was working on the Katherine Ann at Royal Portbury Dock.

Ambulance crews called to berth two this morning called in fire fighters for help so the casualty could be hauled to safety.

Station manager Mark Webb, of Avon Fire and Rescue, said about 20 fire fighters attended just before 8am and lowered ropes down to the man.

Working with paramedics, they put the man onto a spinal board and he was lifted out of the shaft and off the vessel with the help of a turntable ladder.

He was then taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary hospital to be treated for his injuries.

Nick Miller, Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS) clinical team leader, who was at the scene, said: "This was an unusual incident that resulted in a fairly dramatic operation involving both GWAS and the Avon Fire and Rescue teams.

"Thanks to some great joint working, we were able to remove the gentleman from a tricky position and take him to hospital in a stable condition."