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Harbour fall man saved

9:01am Saturday 8th September 2007

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FOUR teenagers rescued a man who fell 15 feet into Lyme Regis harbour.

Holidaymaker Josh Sheppard, from Seaford in East Sussex, jumped into the water at the Cobb to save the 57-year-old.

Three teenagers, who had been walking with Josh on the dockside, hauled the man out of the water into a moored fishing boat.

Rescue crews decided the best way to move the man from the boat was to use the lifeboat, still on its trailer, as a temporary ambulance.

The casualty was laid on a spinal board and lifted from the stern of the fishing boat onto the lifeboat.

From there he was gently pulled to and up the slipway to a waiting ambulance.

The three boys who assisted Josh Sheppard included his brother Luke and local boys Toby Guest and Simon Case.

The injured man comes from Chepstow.

Lyme Regis fire brigade and coastguards also attended the scene last night (Fri).

Earlier that evening, the Lyme Regis lifeboat assisted the 12ft speedboat Blast which broke down close to the Golden Cap near Bridport.

The vessel, carrying a father and son, had drifted into rocks but was towed back to harbour and met by West Bay coastguards.

Elsewhere, a coastguard rescue helicopter used direction finding equipment to follow a signal from an emergency position indicating radio beacon to Hurn airport.

The satellite signal was deactivated after the helicopter reached the airport.


Your Say YourBridport and Lyme Regis News

Sid Snot, Philippines says...
11:03pm Sat 8 Sep 07

Well done boys! You have shown to the world that not all teenagers are bad, instead you have shown courage and proved to be caring. You have probably saved a man's life, and deserve to be congratulated!

Linda Sheppard, Seaford East Sussex says...
8:10pm Mon 10 Sep 07

What really happened - it was around 10.10pm - my son's Josh(age 14yrs)and Luke(age 20yrs) were fishing on the cob. They heard a woman calling out, she was very distressed, they ran over to her,to find that her husband had accidently fallen into the harbour. It was very dark but they could see that he appeared semi-conscious, and was in extreme difficultly. The boys immediately took action - Josh jumped fully clothed (including shoes) into the water whilst Luke clambered onto the nearest (moored)boat, Josh swam to the man (Hugh)in a matter of seconds and lifted his head out from under the water, cuping Hugh's chin in his hand thus ensuring that he could breathe. Josh found it difficult to move as he had sunk in the deep sludge and mud, he swam whilst supporting Hugh to the boat where brother Luke was waiting. Josh managed to lift 15 stone Rev. vicar Hugh 4 feet out of the water onto the boat, aided by Luke, they were also joined by 19 yr old Simon who had come to help Luke. They put Hugh into the recovery position, he was clearly very unwell and was spewing up all the sea water that he had swallowed. The emergency services did not take long to arrive, so the boys just made sure Hugh remained conscious and in the recovery position, they made sure that Hugh knew he was safe.

As a mother I am so very very proud of what my son's were able to do by helping a person in distress, I know that Luke and Josh are very glad to have been there at that precise moment to help save a person who's life was in danger.

deano, says...
9:10pm Wed 12 Sep 07

im joshuas cusin, well done your our hero !!

your even better than spider-man!

xxxxxxxxxsee ya at the weekendxxxxxxxxxxx

Kelly Stoner, Peacehaven says...
9:10pm Wed 12 Sep 07

Im Josh's Cousins Girlfriend... Josh Your My Hero!! =]

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