ROSS Rowing Club members have described how they were there at the right time to  rescue five teenagers from drowning in the River Wye. 

Just after 7.30pm yesterday evening the ambulance service was called to the river near Ross Rowing Club on the Rope Walk in Ross-on-Wye to reports of drowning.

Rowing club members rescued the girls from the river, as described by branch secretary, Erica Hermon. 

She said: "Between the club and the bridge it is knee high at most. But when you go past our steps towards town it just drops off. 

"They were shouting and screaming for help. Initially we didn't know if they were frolicking around.

"We shouted from the rowing club steps, 'Are you alright?' They said they weren't.

"Two of us swam downstream because they were obviously in difficulty."

There was still a rowing boat out on the water and other club members got a safety launch out. One of the swimmers got one of the girls and then took hold of the rowing boat, while the safety launch came out to rescue them. 

Three of the other girls had made their way to the bank and were directed out of the water by the club members. 

The safety launch rescued the fifth girl, who was next to a sheer river bank. 

Erica said: "They were really lucky that we were there and that we had the equipment to do it. That part of the river then gets very deep and very fast. 

"It is deceptive really. It was just we were there at the right time. We were literally coming off the river and packing up to go home. Had it happened half an hour later we might have been looking at a very different situation."

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Ambulance staff were told that the teens had got into difficulty in the River Wye.

"Two members of Ross Rowing Club went into the water, while others used a rowing boat to get to the youngsters. In the meantime, one of the club's rescue launches was also launched.

"Three of the girls were able to get out of the water themselves.  A 17-year-old girl was rescued from the side by the launch and a 15-year-old was rescued from the water by the rowing boat.

“The 15-year-old girl was shaken by her ordeal but was uninjured and discharged with advice.

“The 17-year-old was assessed at the scene and taken to Hereford County Hospital by ambulance as a precaution.

“On a hot sunny day, the attraction of cooling off in water is obvious.  However, the dangers of doing so cannot be underestimated.  These five are extremely fortunate that members of the Rowing Club were there and able to assist them quickly.”