Emergency crews work together to rescue friends from River Wear in Durham

WATCH: "They're hanging on a branch!" | Emergency RIVER RESCUE in Durham

This nearly ended very differently.

A young man became separated from his group of friends on a night out in Durham last weekend.

Concerned for his welfare, his mates used Snapchat to track his location to Frankland Lane by the River Wear.

They found their friend in the water clinging for his life to a fallen tree branch.

While attempting to pull him to safety, a second young man also became trapped just inches above the water.

Police arrived on scene minutes later, including one officer who was also a trained lifeguard.

As shown in this video footage, emergency services personnel from the police, fire and ambulance services launched an immediate and fast-paced rescue operation to bring the two men to safety.

Working in the cold and dark, in the pouring rain, and on a slippy riverbank covered in branches can be extremely difficult and disorienting, but the team got the job done.

One of the men was taken to hospital with hypothermia, but their biggest takeaway from the incident will be an appreciation for the dangers posed by the river.

Particularly where alcohol is involved, please remember that a situation like this can become lethal in a heartbeat.

Watch out for your friends, stay safe, and don’t hesitate to ring 999 in an emergency.