A 26-YEAR-OLD woman from Northfleet who fell from a bridge into the River Medway is recovering in hospital after being rescued by an off-duty coastguard.

Police were called to the Medway Valley Leisure Park just after 7pm yesterday following reports a woman had fallen from the M2 Medway Bridge.

Jon Cole, an off duty coastguard who works at Medway Marina, and his son John Lovage, went into the river and managed to keep the woman’s head above water until emergency services arrived.

Mr Cole, 51, says the woman would have drowned had they not gone out to her.

He said: “Me and my son took our little boat up to where the young girl was.

“She was on the foreshore curled up with no movement.

“My son managed to get the boat as close as he could, I tied a rope around my waist and jumped into the river, and made my way over to her.

“She was drifting in and out of consciousness, we put her into the recovery position and kept talking to her to keep her conscious.”

He added: “There was a rising tide so we had to keep her head above water.

“The water was shallow but she was lying down.

“It was a team effort, but if we hadn’t got there she would have drowned, the water was around her face.”

Acting Superintendent Mick Judge said: “The actions of these individuals was very courageous.

“We are sure that without their quick thinking and brave conduct this woman would have died.

“I would like to thank them for their work in dealing with what was a very difficult situation.”

The woman, who is in a stable condition at the Medway Maritime Hospital, has not been named.

Police are not treating the incident as suspicious.