The family of the man who jumped in the river in March earlier this week have spoken out about their distress.

He was rescued by emergency services after he plunged into the River Nene as a cry for help on Wednesday afternoon (July 31).

The grandmother of the man has now contacted the Cambs Times to explain the situation behind the incident and to ask for people to have respect when commenting online.

"He was in a lot of distress, he had self-destructed," she said.

"People were commenting online saying he looked happy he was in the river.

"Well, actually, he wanted to take his own life. He has taken two overdoses."

The family say that the man, who they do not wish to be named, works within a mental health background himself.

He had recently been diagnosed with acute stress and had a breakdown while being under the mental health care system.

His grandmother continued: "This just isn't him, he is so hardworking and great at his job.

"He is the loveliest person.

"We ask people to not jump on the bandwagon online and to have some respect as this is a crisis for us - he is in crisis."

It was explained how on Monday (July 29) the family had decided to keep a close watch of him after he appeared "not himself".

But then on Wednesday afternoon he escaped and jumped in further down the river, not by the town bridge as was claimed.

Family members then decided to call the police, who in turn called the other emergency services.

"We couldn't fault them at all as they were brilliant in trying to do what they could.

"But my grandson is a strong man so it took five men to pull him out."

The man was taken to Peterborough Hospital and where his grandmother said she was "horrified" to discover that medics thought he was "mentally capable".

He then escaped before trying to run across a road and being taken to the Edith Cavell Hospital for 72 hours.

"We are just hoping that he gets the right treatment," she added.

"There is so much awareness about mental health yet here we are pleading for help.

"We ask that people think before they comment online and realise that this is a young man in a lot of distress in need of help."