A diver has been rescued from the Channel after the crew of a passing ship heard him crying for help.

The alarm was raised at 3.45pm yesterday when the man was seen in the water.

A few minutes later, Dover Coastguard received a Mayday call from a small diving support boat near the Sandettie West buoy, 15 miles from Dover.

The diver had surfaced as usual after his dive, but had then been carried away by the tide.

Both Dover and Walmer lifeboats were launched, as was the search and rescue helicopter from Wattisham, Suffolk.

Some 40 minutes later, the crew of Walmer lifeboat found the diver, having been given directions from a Dutch container ship, and recovered him from the water. The crew of Dover lifeboat then located his support vessel.

The diver was assessed by the Walmer crew and found to be unharmed despite the length of time he had been in the water.

He was then transferred to the Dover lifeboat, which had placed a crew member on to the support boat which was being escorted to Dover.

On arrival in Dover the diver was checked over by paramedics from South East Coast Ambulance Service but did not require hospital treatment.

Tony Evans from Walmer Lifeboat said: "The diver was very lucky that he was spotted by the cargo vessels and that one was able to stand by and guide us to him. Visibility at the time was approximately one mile and when we reached him he was over two miles from his support boat."

Dover Lifeboat operations manager Roy Couzens said: "Although, the sea conditions were good and winds were light, the poor visibility would have made a long search difficult particularly as evening approached."