Elderly couple rescued in river drama

Emergency services were scrambled after two people got into difficulties on the River Ivel in Biggleswade yesterday.
Lock Corner Weir on the River Ivel PNL-150707-144625001Lock Corner Weir on the River Ivel PNL-150707-144625001
Lock Corner Weir on the River Ivel PNL-150707-144625001

The couple were rescued by passers by.

A Beds police spokesman said: “We were called to reports of two people in the river at Biggleswade at about 5.20pm yesterday (Sunday). Officers and emergency services attended and rescued the man who was in his 80s and a woman from the water.

“They were taken to Lister Hospital in Stevenage as a precaution.”

A spokesman for Beds Fire and rescue said: “We were called at 17.22 yesterday and pumps from Biggleswade, Bedford and Kempston were sent along with the rescue boat and special Rescue Unit from Kempston.

“When we arrived we found that an elderly couple who had fallen into the River Ivel had been rescued by a member of the public so we did not have to deploy any of our equipment.

“They were cared for by the ambulance service and we closed the incident at 6pm.”

The service also issued a warning of the dangers of rivers:

> River banks may be slippery or slope away suddenly or be unstable and crumble so take care around the edge of water, especially when paths are narrow

>Look out for trip or slip hazards, especially where it is overgrown

>Don’t assume a path is safe because you’ve walked it before

>Take care around paths beside rives you haven’t walked before.

On social media Biggleswade people praised the work of the emergency services.

Richard Bailey said: “Glad they’re both ok, hope the lady is feeling better, poor gal was understandably terrified... please pass on my best (I helped to pull her out and gave her my shoes as hers were stuck in the mud.

“It’s the emergency services who need the praise... such an excellent response. The first officer on scene wasted no time in pulling a plan together too. I am just glad I , and others, were there to help and they are both ok.”