A FATHER has spoken of his shock after being involved in a ‘terrifying’ river rescue.

Care manager Daniel Hall, 40, was enjoying a picnic on a pebble beach near the Swing Bridge, in Ilkley, when the drama unfolded.

Alerted by screams, he said he spotted two boys in serious trouble on the other side of the River Wharfe and decided, despite being fully clothed, to dive in and help.

In the end Mr Hall, the boys’ father and another man who responded, only barely got the children and themselves safely to the shore.

He said: “We had been enjoying a beautiful picnic on the pebbles on the bend just before the swing bridge by Middleton Woods.

“I was just packing up, with my two children Alana and Leo wading in the shallows, when all of a sudden I heard someone screaming what sounded like ‘my baby!’.

“I got up to see what was going on and there were two boys, about eight or nine years old, in trouble.

“The dad had jumped in and a young chap ran past me to help too, but it didn’t seem like they were getting there fast enough so I dived in.”

A crowd of more than 100 families who had been relaxing at the same spot, by Denton Road, watched on as the men reached the boys - but then their father ran into difficulties, too.

Ilkley resident Mr Hall, who grew up in Addingham, said: “The father got to them both and I’m sure he thought he’d then be able to stand up but he just couldn’t - there was no way. I couldn’t and I’m 6ft 2.

“The river was just so deep and fierce, despite the dry weather. When the dad realised he couldn’t stand I saw the sheer dread in his eyes. He was exhausted and starting to drag the boys under so I shouted ‘give him to me’, and he passed the younger boy to me while the other lad who had jumped in took the elder one.

“I rolled onto my back and put my hand under his chin but it was a real struggle to get to shore, especially having my clothes and trainers on, and I could see his head dropping under the water. I had to just keep going and the adrenaline must have helped because I’m not a strong swimmer and I’ve not done life saving or anything - though I do have ridiculously long arms!”

Reflecting on how a tragedy had been narrowly avoided, he added: “It was really scary. Three guys struggled to deal with the situation and I think it was a lesson for us all to always be mindful of the dangers of the river.”

An Ambulance Service spokesman said they was called at 2.18pm on Sunday to “reports of a child in difficulty in the water”. A crew attended with assistance offered, but no-one needed hospital treatment.