Firefighters rescue teenager after she fell into river
Firefighters rescued a teenager from a river after she was swept away by the current.
The girl, aged 15, was with friends at the riverside near Westbridge Park in Stone.
She went into the River Trent and slipped on a wet rock, losing her footing.
Her friends called for help and fire crews from Stone, Longton and Newcastle-under-Lyme attended and helped the girl, who had been swept away by the current.
A fence prevented her from being carried further downstream and kept her head above water.
She was helped out of the water using a line and physically pulled to safety, where she was treated by an ambulance crew. She was cold, but unharmed.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service station manager, Martin Weaver, said: “The Trent was swollen after the heavy rains and quite deep and fast-moving. Thankfully we were able to get her out of the river safely and she’s unharmed by the experience.
“But, as more people are getting out and about in the warmer weather this is a timely reminder that people should not swim in open water as it is easy to get into difficulties due to the cold or currents. It is often not possible to gauge the depth and power of the water or what might be at the bottom.”
