A cyclist who fell into a canal in Gloucestershire as he cycled along the towpath spent an hour in the water before being rescued.
The rider, a 22-year-old male, had been riding his bike along the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal around a kilometre from the Pilot Inn in Hardwicke at around 11pm last Wednesday, reports the Stroud News & Journal.
He is thought to have been in the canal for approximately one hour, holding onto plants by the edge of the canal, when someone living nearby heard him shouting for help.
He was rescued by Police Sergeant Tom Francis of Gloucestershire Police, who said: “Unfortunately there weren’t many landmarks, particularly at night, which meant that finding him was particularly difficult.
“In many respects, I was lucky to take the right direction along the towpath in order to find him.
“Luckily he had been able to hold on to some plants or grass close to the edge of the canal and had not been stranded far out in the open water.
“The worst part of the rescue itself for me was having to lay in a bed of thistles and nettles in order to reach in and pull him out!”
The cyclist was treated for suspected hypothermia at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, and Sergeant Francis said: “He was very cold when I found him and was unable really to move his arms or legs to help himself from the water.
“This is a good chance to remind people of the dangers of the water and, despite the warm weather, cold and hypothermia can still occur when submerged in the water for any length of time.
“I would like to pay tribute to my colleagues who were swift to back me up and bring equipment to warm the man and help me get him back to ambulance staff who were waiting on the nearest bridge,” he added.
Earlier this month, police appealed for witnesses after a cyclist was kicked and punched by occupants of a car after a close pass near the Pilot Inn.
> Cyclist ‘pulled from bike and kicked’ after close pass in Gloucestershire
A family cycling locally also spoke of how they had received verbal abuse while riding their bikes in the Hardwick area.
-1024x680.jpg "“Clear anti-cyclist bias”: Lawsuit filed against Toronto police after cop doored cyclist… before ticketing rider over incident")
7 thoughts on “Cyclist spent hour in canal after fall before rescue”
With hindsight – alway carry
With hindsight – always carry a small whistle on your person.
I’ve decided to just avoid
I’ve decided to just avoid the canal route near my house when the visibility is poor or weather is unsavoury. Last thing I need is to accidentally ride, slide or be blown in on my way to or from work.
thankfully it’s not my convenient direct route so I just need to watch out for lights and traffic and I’ll be off the roads in short order.
it’s a good thing they found him when they did, by the sounds of it, things were close to getting much worse for the person.
hawkinspeter wrote:
And a lifejacket under your seat :,-)
Oldfatgit wrote:
With hindsight – always carry a small whistle on your person.
— Oldfatgit And a lifejacket under your seat :,-)— hawkinspeter
That’ll only work if your bike falls in with you and you can reach it in the water (maybe an unsung benefit of clipless pedals if you stay clipped in). Better yet, wear a hi-viz lifejacket whenever you go near a canal (especially if alcohol is involved).
hawkinspeter wrote:
My Camelbak has a whistle on the chest strap
I got chased by a cow on a
I got chased by a cow on a towpath whilst on a narrow boat holiday.
The cyclist on the towpath decided to escape with me onto the boat before the cow reached us.
The cow then jumped into the water.
I rang the fire brigade but they could not find the cow.
hirsute wrote:
Did they check udder the water?