Wye canoe rescue

11:50am Sunday 29th June 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

A MOTHER who rescued her daughter from an overturned canoe has been praised by the emergency services.

Crews from Whitchurch and Ross were called to Welsh Bicknor on Friday amid reports that a canoe had capsized.

The girl, aged 11, got into trouble south of Goodrich during windy conditions, causing her canoe to overturn in shallow water.

According to Bryan Thornett, station manager at Whitchurch, her mother carried out a “self-rescue”.

“The mother got out of her canoe, walked through the water, pulled the child out, and sat her on the canoe,” he said.

“The emergency services were called because a man on the bank saw this, but it was pretty much a one-man rescue and the mother did a great job,” he added.

The pair, on holiday in the Marches, were picked up by emergency services at 4.30pm.

Crews from Hereford were also on standby, while an air ambulance was called as a precaution, but was not needed.

The girl was said to be cold, but did not need hospital treatment.

Mr Thornett added representatives from the canoe-hiring centre were the first at the scene, and wrapped the girl in blankets.