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A man tried to evade capture from the police in Edinburgh by jumping into the Water of Leith – but his escape plan backfired as he couldn't swim.

Earlier on Thursday afternoon, the Friends of the Water of Leith Basin shared images of the incident on their Facebook page.

Posting a series of pictures on the social media site, they wrote: “Young lad wanted by the police tried to evade capture by hiding in Sheriff Bank; and then jumped into the river to escape.

A man stands in the Water of Leith as police officers look on. Photo: Friends of the Water of Leith Basin

“Unable to swim though he couldn't reach the other side.”

One of the pics shows the police looking on as the man stands in the water.

Other images show the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services attended the scene with a rescue dingy.

Sheriff Bank resident Hilary Thacker, who runs the Friends of the Water of Leith Basin Facebook page, witnessed the whole scene.

Speaking to the Evening News, she said: “I was doing a spot of gardening and a man came wandering round the estate with an Alsatian dog. I knew straight away he didn't live there.

“He was circling with his dog and acting odd. I thought ‘he’s a burglar who's come to case the joint’, so I started to watch him.

“He kind of disappeared and the next minute a woman walked up and said she was looking for her dog. I knew she was lying.

“It was a couple who had come to case the joint, as sometimes happens. I thought they were looking for a way into the property.

“Next thing I knew, I saw police running and so I followed them and saw the man had jumped into the water.

“A few minutes later, another policeman arrived with the same woman and dog, and then I realised it was the same couple.

“He'd jumped in the water when the police were chasing him and he wouldn't get out. The police had gone and got the woman to try and lure him out.

“The police wanted him to swim across to the other side where there's a riverbank – but he said he couldn't swim.

“It was an awful lot of hoohah just to get him out,” she added.

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Man jumps in Water of Leith to avoid police capture – but he can’t swim