A LIFEBOAT and helicopter were called in to help save a man who tried to commit suicide by drowning himself in the sea off Morecambe.

Police have praised the professionalism actions of the coastguard and lifeboat crew without whom the man's life would have been in jeopardy.

The man, who has not been named, phoned Lancaster police in the early hours of Sunday morning from a public telephone box on Lancashire Street in the resort.

Communications staff traced his location and a police team were despatched to the phone box at around 2.30am.

They saw the man approaching an outcrop of rocks on the promenade across the street.

He walked along them and, as the police officers began to approach, the man jumped in to the icy sea and began to swim away into the deeper water out at sea.

Air support and lifeboat crews had been called and the man, who was said to be acting aggressively, was dragged into the boat by the Morecambe RNLI crew, including helmsman, Paul Moffat, Paul Turner, Michael Dixon and Bob Colvin.

The man was handed over to the ambulance service at the lifeboat slipway.

From there, he was taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary for treatment.

He was released later on Sunday.

Police spokesman, Insp Steff Carrol, said: "It was a good job by all concerned.

"The police would like to thank the coastguard and lifeboat crew who worked very professionally and saved the man's life."