'We saved a pensioner from the River Derwent - we just did what most people would have done'

Will Middleton was driving his works van when he spotted an OAP in the River Derwent near the Witches Oak site, Derbyshire, last year following heavy rain.

He stopped and phoned for help from nearby colleagues, Daniel Smith and Fahren Tansley, and then tied a rope to himself and his van before bravely wading into the water.

His workmates quickly arrived and helped him pull the woman from the river. The men then used a Severn Trent first aid/rescue kit to help the pensioner, as well as their work fleeces to keep her warm until an ambulance arrived.

She was rushed to hospital and the three large diameter mains technicians later learned she went on to make a full recovery following the incident last February.

But the modest workmates played down any ‘hero’ labels – and said anyone would have done the same.

Will, 22, told how he had spotted the pensioner in difficulty as he drove past the river near Severn Trent’s Witches Oak site.

“I stopped the van and could see she was in real trouble so rang Dan and Fahren for help and then took off my boots, tied the rope to myself and started wading out to her,” he said.

“The water was freezing cold and pretty deep in places, but there was no way we could have got her out otherwise.

“Dan waded in to help when he got here too, while Fahren helped us get back out. It was a real team effort.”

Dan, 45, added: “You don’t think of the danger at the time, you just want to help. It needed all three of us to rescue her. After we got her out we could see she was unconscious, but she was still alive.”

Fahren, 20, said: “I was just glad we could help – it was second nature really. When we later found she had survived, we were all very happy.”

Dan played down the idea of the trio being ‘heroes’ and added: “We just did what most people would have done.”