Bystander dives in to save boy in Ludlow river drama

The Reynolds family, of Caradoc Drive, Leominster, had been taking advantage of the weekend's hot weather and visited Ludlow's Millennium Green, for a picnic.

Having become restless, Christopher Reynolds said that he wanted to play in the River Teme. Mum Jackie, 47, and dad Simon, 52, warned him to stay in the shallow water and in their sight.

But the youngster, who had entered a seemingly harmless part of the water, began to be carried downstream. As Mr Reynolds chased after him, a man dived in and pulled the boy out of the river. Mr Reynolds said the man rushed off before they had time to thank him and only identified himself as Edward.

After taking Christopher to their local GP on Saturday fearing he could have suffered from "secondary drowning", which can affect air entering the lungs when too much water is swallowed, it turned out the youngster was nothing more than "a bit shell shocked".

Describing the situation as "a parent's worst nightmare", he said: "We had gone for a picnic and our nine-year-old was whingeing and wanted to play in the water so we said as long as you stay within sight and in the shallow water.

"The next thing we know there he is being carried down the stream. I started running along the edge of the river bank to try to get to him and just saw this bloke launch himself in. He had his spaniel with him and plaster cast on his arm.

"It is your worst nightmare, you do not expect to see your child in that position. He can swim reasonably well but he had obviously got stuck in a current and it was taking him downstream. If he had hit his head on a rock it would have been game over. When the man jumped in, I was so bothered about keeping an eye on my son I just saw him out the corner of my eye and assumed it was someone jumping into the river, it was not until I realised what was happening that I realised he was going in for my lad. He was all right in the end, I think he had just slipped in, one minute he was there and the next he had gone. We gave him a firm talking to and the lesson was well and truly learned. We will still go there but be a lot more careful next time."

Mr Reynolds said he wanted to meet the man who rescued his son to thank him.

"I cannot thank that guy enough," he said.

The family had been at Ludlow's Millennium Green, near the Dinham bridge.

It comes days after a 15-year-old boy was described as "lucky to be alive" by paramedics after being rescued by a fisherman after nearly drowning in quarry water at Blue Pool, off Randlay Avenue in Telford.