Anglers save life of boy friend fished from lake
Thursday, 6th April 2006.
ANGLERS saved the life of a teenager when he fell into a lake.
The 14-year-old collapsed and fell into the lake at Duddenhoe End, Saffron Walden, at 10.30am yesterday (Wednesday, 05 April) while fishing with his friend.
Ambulance emergency medical technician John Hammond said: "This boy is alive thanks to these fishermen's quick thinking."
Neil Pearman, 18, of Buntingford, who was also at the lake, said: "This young lad came running round the corner soaking wet and shouting: 'Help me quick. I don't know what's happened.'
"He'd pulled his mate out of the water. His mate was bleeding and not breathing, just shaking. Apparently he just stood up and passed out. He didn't come round for ages and when he did he didn't know what had happened. He was really disoriented."
Robert Hornby, of Haverhill, alerted the emergency services, told the air ambulance helicopter where it could land and helped put the boy into the recovery position.
"I think there must have been something wrong with him, because lads of that age don't usually just pass out," he said.
Will Collins, 19, of Little Shelford, said: "The water was really cold and the boy was shaking. We put a coat over him and a jacket under his head. I felt really sorry for his mate - he was in a right state. Soon afterwards his mother came and took him away."
All the anglers paid tribute to the ambulance service. "They were here really quickly and did a fantastic job," said Mr Collins.
The air ambulance, a rapid response vehicle from Essex Ambulance Service and a paramedic manager raced to the lake at Rockels Farm.
Mr Hammond said: "When I arrived the boy was conscious and was able to talk to me but was confused about what had happened.
"Some other people who had been fishing nearby said the boy had become unconscious and fallen into the lake and had remained unconscious for about a minute after being rescued.
"We must pay tribute to the members of the public who pulled the boy from the water. It was a huge relief to arrive at the scene of a reported drowning and find that the incident turned out not to be a drowning after all."
Mr Hammond said the boy, from the Saffron Walden area, was cold and wet but otherwise uninjured.
Ambulance staff warmed him up before flying him in the air ambulance to Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, for further observation.
The 14-year-old collapsed and fell into the lake at Duddenhoe End, Saffron Walden, at 10.30am yesterday (Wednesday, 05 April) while fishing with his friend.
Ambulance emergency medical technician John Hammond said: "This boy is alive thanks to these fishermen's quick thinking."
Neil Pearman, 18, of Buntingford, who was also at the lake, said: "This young lad came running round the corner soaking wet and shouting: 'Help me quick. I don't know what's happened.'
"He'd pulled his mate out of the water. His mate was bleeding and not breathing, just shaking. Apparently he just stood up and passed out. He didn't come round for ages and when he did he didn't know what had happened. He was really disoriented."
Robert Hornby, of Haverhill, alerted the emergency services, told the air ambulance helicopter where it could land and helped put the boy into the recovery position.
"I think there must have been something wrong with him, because lads of that age don't usually just pass out," he said.
Will Collins, 19, of Little Shelford, said: "The water was really cold and the boy was shaking. We put a coat over him and a jacket under his head. I felt really sorry for his mate - he was in a right state. Soon afterwards his mother came and took him away."
All the anglers paid tribute to the ambulance service. "They were here really quickly and did a fantastic job," said Mr Collins.
The air ambulance, a rapid response vehicle from Essex Ambulance Service and a paramedic manager raced to the lake at Rockels Farm.
Mr Hammond said: "When I arrived the boy was conscious and was able to talk to me but was confused about what had happened.
"Some other people who had been fishing nearby said the boy had become unconscious and fallen into the lake and had remained unconscious for about a minute after being rescued.
"We must pay tribute to the members of the public who pulled the boy from the water. It was a huge relief to arrive at the scene of a reported drowning and find that the incident turned out not to be a drowning after all."
Mr Hammond said the boy, from the Saffron Walden area, was cold and wet but otherwise uninjured.
Ambulance staff warmed him up before flying him in the air ambulance to Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, for further observation.
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