A cyclist in his 40s has been rushed to hospital in a “life threatening” condition after being found unconscious in a canal.

Police were called to the Royal Military Canal in Hythe town centre at around 11.30am today after reports the man had fallen into the water at Dymchurch Road, opposite the Dukes Head pub.

The air ambulance landed at Hythe Green at noon but the casualty was taken by road to hospital in Ashford.

It is believed he had a heart attack while on a bike ride with his teenage son, who jumped in after his dad and pulled him out of the water.

The ambulance service said two police cars attended, along with an ambulance and the HART (hazardous area response team) unit.

Ambulance spokesman Rich Airey said: “The man was in a serious condition and needed resuscitating at the scene.

“He was still in a life threatening condition en-route to the William Harvey Hospital where he was taken to by road.”

The man was put in an induced coma and is stable, it is understood.

There were no physical injuries reported.