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West Dorset: Dad wades in to save flood-trapped family and mum-to-be (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)
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West Dorset: Dad wades in to save flood-trapped family and mum-to-be
10:32am Thursday 19th November 2009
A FATHER waded through rising floodwater in the middle of the night to rescue his family and a pregnant woman stranded on top of their car near Charmouth.
Doug Blair, 38, leapt into action when the vehicle in which his wife and two daughters and a family friend who is expecting a baby became stuck in 3ft of water when the River Char burst its banks on Friday.
They climbed on to the roof of the Subaru Forester which had broken down as the floodwater rose to the height of the bonnet.
Mr Blair rushed from the nearby cottage on Gassons Lane, at Whitchurch Canonicorum, where the group had been spending the evening together.
He said: “When they got to this section of road it was very deep but they decided to carry on for some strange reason.
“They got to the bridge but the car conked out. They all sat on the roof of it with the kids and when I got there I waded through to get the kids out.”
He carried his daughters Ella, eight, and Maddy, five, safely away from the flooded area.
He then returned to wade back through with his wife Heather and their pregnant friend Ingrid Rogal, 37, who had been driving the others back to their bed and breakfast.
Mr Blair and his family and friends were visiting from Haslemere in Surrey for a weekend break.
He added: “Ingrid’s not heavily pregnant. I was worried about getting the kids.
“I carried them to the bank and the rest of us held hands to form a chain wading back.
“It’s incredible how quickly the water rose. The current was so strong even wading through and it just came from nowhere really.
“The moral of the story is if you are not sure don’t attempt it.”
Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said crews attended from Lyme Regis, Charmouth and Weymouth late on Friday night to find water had reached the bonnet of the car.
Firefighters found the group clear from the vehicle and the floodwater and all were safe and uninjured.
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