Woman dived into ‘bitterly cold’ Leeds-Liverpool Canal to save drowning man (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Woman dived into ‘bitterly cold’ Leeds-Liverpool Canal to save drowning man

6:10am Wednesday 1st September 2010 in

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A woman who bravely went into a “bitterly cold” canal to save a man from drowning is to receive a national award.

Carla Richardson, 39, of Riddlesden, near Keighley, is to be presented with a Royal Humane Society Testimonial on Parchment for carrying out the rescue in the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

The drama unfolded last October when she heard a splash and looked out of her living room window to see the man lying face down in the canal near her home.

She swam to the middle of the waterway and dragged him to the side and screamed for help after turning him over so he could resume breathing.

She and a neighbour, who was alerted by her screams, then managed to get the man out of the water before paramedics arrived.

Announcing the award at the Royal Humane Society’s headquarters in London yesterday, its secretary Dick Wilkinson, said: “Miss Richardson heard a splash as she sat in her living room.

“She looked out of her window and saw a man lying face down in the water.

“She rang for an ambulance on her mobile telephone and, during the call, ran out on to the towpath.

“She then went into the bitterly cold water and swam to the middle, where it is six-feet deep.

“There she turned the man over. Water came out of his mouth and he took a breath.

“She then pulled him to the side and screamed for help.

“A neighbour came out and between them they got the man out and put him in the recovery position and checked to see he was still breathing.

“Were it not for her fast actions and calm head, this man would very likely have drowned.

“She thoroughly deserves this award.

“She was the right person in the right place at the right time.”

No date has yet been set for the presentation of the award, made on the recommendation of West Yorkshire Police, but the society has said it is likely to be in the near future.