EMERGENCY services were called into action after a man on Mersea Island was taken ill when the access road was covered by the tide.

Annie Davidson

EMERGENCY services were called into action after a man on Mersea Island was taken ill when the access road was covered by the tide.

The 52-year-old suffered heart and breathing problems at 3.35am today when the The Strood was underwater and the ambulance was unable to cross it.

Thames Coastguard were called and alerted the West Mersea inshore lifeboat and Mersea Coastguard to transport the ill man from his home in Constable Close across to meet the ambulance at Peldon.

However he did not want to travel by water and instead waited until the tide receded and he could go by ambulance.

The ambulance was able to access the island by 4.15am. A first response first-aider had been with the man throughout his ordeal.