Canal rescues

THERE have been two waterway rescues over the past few days, with one an 86 years old cyclist and the other a drunk.

Cyclist Jack Earl was rescued by towpath walkers when he fell off his bike and landed in the Lancaster Canal at Borwick, as he was attempting to ride under a low bridge, Alan Tilbury tells us.

He told that he lost consciousness, but the rescuers were able to reach him to drag him out of the water though he was in a confused state, whilst one telephoned for an ambulance.

It transpired that his front wheel had been caught in a rut under the bridge, and he lost his balance and fell off.  He was taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, but was discharged later in the day.

Drinkers

The other rescue was one of a group of drinkers on Folly Island at Hertford on the Lee Navigation, and it was a police support community officer who was called to attend to drinkers who made the rescue.

The officer, Andrea Gibson, was called to attend to a fracas caused by men drinking in a restricted area, when one of the men, in an inebriated state staggered and fell into the river.

Another of the group jumped in to attempt a rescue, but he too was in no fit state, so there were two struggling in the water, so it was left to Andrea who then went in the water to rescue the two men.

She brought them to the side of the river whilst someone came along and helped them out.