EMERGENCY service workers had to borrow a crane to lift a 27-stone man to safety after he broke his leg.

The 37-year-old was injured after slipping down a 4ft steep slope on the Denton foreshore in Gravesend.

It took the efforts of ambulance staff, firefighters, a three-strong RNLI crew, the Port of London Authority (PLA) and police to rescue the man.

The unusual chain of events played out over two hours from 1pm on Sunday.

Paramedics called the fire brigade for help in reaching the man, who had climbed down to the beach over a 10ft sea defence wall.

Thameside firefighters attended the scene but found the man was too heavy to carry back up steps to the waiting ambulance.

The RNLI then attended in a bid to rescue the fisherman by lifeboat and also because there were fears the tide would come in as he laid there.

Crew members put the man's leg in an inflatable leg splint, placed him in a stretcher and wrapped him in a blanket while morphine and a saline-filled drip were administered.

The sea rescue charity then evacuated the casualty along the River Thames to Denton Wharf.

It was here the injured man was lifted in the stretcher by a quay crane operated by PLA staff.

He was lowered onto the PLA's jetty where an ambulance was waiting to take him to hospital.

A PLA spokesman said: "This rescue was a good example of all the emergency services working together.

"It involved careful co-ordination and the joint efforts of the RNLI, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, ambulance paramedics, the PLA and the police.

"The PLA was pleased to play one part in this successful rescue and wish the gentleman a good recovery."

Thameside white watch manager Chris Peacock said: "We go to lots of rescues and it was an unorthodox one.

"Because he was so heavy it was a struggle to get him up the steps."

A spokesman for the RNLI said: "The crane was used because the man was a heavy disposition.

"We wish him a speedy recovery."