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Anglers come to rescue of woman drowning at Falls
TWO anglers saved the life of a drowning woman who had gone into the water at a dangerous Doncaster beauty spot to cool down in the hot weather.
Neil Kirton, 43, and Pete Rayner, 36, were packing their equipment away for the evening on the banks of the River Don at Sprotbrough Falls when they heard screaming from the river.
A woman was being dragged along by the current and her friend was desperately trying to save her but they were both being pulled under the water.
Neil, who lives in Quilter Road, Maltby, jumped in and swam 15 feet into the waters above the weir to reach the struggling woman, who is believed to be 18 and from the Sprotbrough area.
Meanwhile her 21-year-old friend let go and made her way to the bank.
"There was no hesitation. When I saw her she was up to her chin and she kept on going under the water and back up," Neil said.
"I managed to get to her just as she went under. I was struggling myself with the current. The currents are five times as strong as normal, it's swirling underneath.
"There was a point I got a bit scared but the adrenaline kick helped me out.
"It took 20 minutes by the time we got her to the side where Pete and other people were. It was just trying to get her out. They put a rubber ring around her."
She was lifted onto the bank and paramedics then checked both women but did not take them to hospital, a spokesman said.
It has since emerged that the friends had been returning home from a barbecue on Monday evening and had been drinking. They had gone into the water to cool down from the hot weather, a police spokesman said.
The fire service has since issued a warning about the dangers of drinking alcohol and swimming.
A spokesman said: "People going near water after drinking alcohol are putting themselves and others at risk of getting into difficulties.
During the hot weather the temptation may be to cool off in water, but
the hazards are often hidden, especially if your judgement is impaired by alcohol."
In April 2002, eight-year-old Kieran Brady died after being swept away by the river as he played with two friends at Sprotbrough Falls.
His mother Anne Stockdale won a negligence case against British Waterways in 2006.
The organisation agreed to pay damages and costs and also promised to plant vegetation and erect temporary fences to discourage access to the steps leading to the weir edge along with signs warning the public of the danger of the river.
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Weather for Doncaster
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -0 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
