A MAN had to be rescued from the water when he tried to swim across a Hampshire harbour.

Both Gosport and Portsmouth RNLI were sent out into Portsmouth Harbour after the man tried to swim between Whale Island and Portsea Island.

Officers from Hampshire police stopped the man in his attempt at about 7.15pm last night and took him to safety.

A spokesman for Hampshire police said: "He came out of the water and was taken voluntarily to St James' Hospital in Portsmouth."

It is not known how he came to be in the water.