Paramedic in river rescue

Monday 28th September 2009, 12:40PM BST.

A hero paramedic plunged into a river near the Shropshire border in a daring rescue after a man was found clinging to the rocks.

The 35-year-old man from Wrexham had jumped into the river in order to rescue his young son, who later managed to get himself out of the water safely.

The drama unfolded on Saturday in the River Dee by the Chainbridge Hotel, near Llangollen.

A spokesman for the North Wales Ambulance Service said: “One child was out of the water and one male was clinging to the rocks and had to be rescued.

“One of our officers, Mark Timmins, went in to the to get the adult out.”

Mr Timmins, from Ruthin, tied a rope around his waist and jumped in to the river to save the man, who has not been named. Mr Timmins then changed out of his clothes and carried on with his shift.

The father and son were then taken to the Wrexham Maelor Hospital to be checked over.

A spokeswoman for North Wales Fire Service said: “Two people were rescued from the water by the Chainbridge Hotel.

“A male and his nine-year-old-son were rescued from the river by ambulance and the fire service assisted,” she said.

She added the fire service was called to the scene at 12.45pm on Saturday and one appliance from Llangollen, one from Ruthin and the incident unit from Ruthin had attended.

View more: Llangollen news, Wrexham news.