Girl, 6, drowned in canal trying to help friends

The tragedy unfolded as Imie Harrison played by the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal in Kidderminster with her brother CJ and two friends on the afternoon of March 19.

The inquest heard that CJ hurled their friend Lucy's shoe into the water. Lucy and Imie's other friend Jack fell into the canal before Imie grabbed Lucy's hand in an attempt to rescue her from the muddy water but she slipped into the water near the Wolverley Court Lock.

CJ managed to haul both Jack and Lucy from the water but the three of them could not reach Imie, who was seen motionless, face down in the water.

CJ dashed home to alert their mother Lisa Harrison but, by the time police and paramedics arrived at the scene, it was too late, and Imie, who lived in Usmere Road, Kidderminster and attended St John's Primary School, was dead.

At an inquest in Stourport yesterday, Worcestershire coroner Geraint Williams read out statements from the children.

Lucy's said: "When we were near the metal lock, my shoe fell off. CJ picked it up and started putting it above his head and swinging it round.

"The shoe came out of his hand and went into the water. Jack then went by side of water to get it out, but fell in. I tried to help him out of water, while Imie was holding my other hand. He was too heavy, I slipped and fell in. Imie then put out her hand, she then slipped into water.

"Imie went under the water, I tried to grab her hand but couldn't because it was too slippy."

CJ ran back to the twin's mother, Lisa Harrison, and told her Imie was dead, the inquest heard.

Christopher Owen, a friend of Imie's family, raced from Horsefair in Kidderminster to the canal after being alerted to what happened over his phone.

Alongside attending police officer Simon Johnson, he ran up the towpath before spotting Imie's coat in the water and jumping in. He said: "I just jumped in and swam across. I could see the back of a coat, a little bit of black, I put my arms under it and I just lifted. That's when I knew it was her. I shouted 'it is her, it is her'."

Police helped get Imie out, but despite Pc Johnson giving the girl CPR, she showed no pulse and was judged to be dead.

Pc Johnson said: "It was immediately apparant that Imie was not breathing, she was cold and clammy and unresponsive."

Mr Williams recorded a verdict of accidental death and praised all four children for trying to help each other.