FISHERMAN Gary Murphy has been hailed a hero after rescuing a man from Huddersfield Broad Canal last night.

Brave Gary, 27, jumped into the murky water when he saw an elderly man fall in at about 8.45pm.

But he was modest about his efforts.

"I didn't know anything about it until he rang me at home for dry clothes," said his proud wife Nicola, 29.

"I was cross with him at first, but we're all really proud of him.

"Fishermen get a bad name, but Gary did a really good thing."

Gary, of Dalton, had been fishing for about three hours at Aspley Marina when he saw the man fall into the water, float motionless and then start to sink.

He jumped in, still wearing his boots and fisherman's overalls and dragged the man to the side, calling to a woman passer-by to call for the police and ambulance service.

Both were at the scene within minutes.

Gary was back at work at his building job at Property Services of Lepton this morning, a reluctant hero.

"I've been fishing that spot for several weeks, but never seen anything as dramatic as last night," he said.

"The man just seemed to launch himself into the water, drifted off and was being pulled down into the water.

"I jumped in and managed to reach him. I'm 6ft 1ins and could not touch the bottom but I managed to get him to the bank, shouting for help.

"It was a struggle because we were both getting pulled back by our clothes, but people came to help."

Pc Dave McSweeney said: "His actions were heroic."

Gary and Nicola live in Dyson Street, Dalton, with their three sons Joe, seven, Jake, five, and Alex, three. Joe and Jake attend Moldgreen Community Primary School and Alex goes to Cambridge Road creche.

Nicola works at Newsome nursing home in Tunnacliffe Road.