AN ELDERLY woman was rescued by firefighters after she plunged into a deep river yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. She was walking with her family along the River Lea, next to the Lower Luton Road in Batford, Harpenden, when the incident happened at around 3.
AN ELDERLY woman was rescued by firefighters after she plunged into a deep river yesterday (Sunday) afternoon.
She was walking with her family along the River Lea, next to the Lower Luton Road in Batford, Harpenden, when the incident happened at around 3.30pm.
The water rescue unit from Hatfield fire station, along with crews from St Albans and Wheathampstead, went to her aid.
Hatfield Watch Commander Steve Duncan said the gap between the river bank and the fence had been overgrown with grass and the woman trod on it as she was feeding the ducks.
She plunged into the river which was out of her depth and she was unable to climb back onto the bank as it was too steep. But she did manage to climb onto a concrete slab under the water and someone supported her until the arrival of firefighters.
The water rescue team reached her in an inflatable raft and took her further along the river where she could climb back onto the bank safely.
Ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson said: "The woman was very unfortunate to have fallen in to the river whilst out walking. The fire service led her to safety and following treatment and stabilisation by paramedics, she was conveyed to the Luton and Dunstable hospital with an arm injury.
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