Police were forced to hang onto the arms of a naked man to pull him to safety after he jumped into a canal.

Shocked onlookers watched as the streaker was fished out of Manchester's Rochdale Canal by police and ambulance workers on Saturday (2) at 11.30pm.

David Lawwrence [CRRCT], 24, a carbon technology specialist, and his friends heard shouting for 15 minutes before they saw the man being helped to safety.

David said: "Three friends and I were just having a casual Saturday movie night - we were watching that new zombie film 28 Years Later, which was quite freaky because he was literally acting like a zombie when he got pulled out the canal."

"At first there was screaming from a distance, but it got gradually louder and louder - I guess he was moving down the canal trying to find somewhere to get out."

"It seemed to be a joke at first, but it took a team of more than 20 workers to get this man out of the canal."

"Hopefully he isn't waking up with too much of a hangover."

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: "At shortly before 11.30pm on Saturday (August 2) two fire engines from Manchester central fire station, the water incident unit from Eccles fire station plus the enhanced rescue unit from Ashton fire station assisted Greater Manchester Police with the rescue of one man from a canal off Tariff Street in Manchester city-centre."

"Firefighters used throw lines to rescue the man before handing them to the care of northwest ambulance service."

"Crews were in attendance for around 45 minutes."