Campaign steps up after two Shrewsbury river rescues within hours

A man and a woman were pulled from the freezing water and treated for hypothermia following two separate incidents in Shrewsbury last week.

Chairman of West Mercia Search and Rescue, Andy MacAuley, said it was "unprecedented".

"I've never heard of two river rescues so close together," he said.

"The only time we're usually called to river rescues in a short space of time is where it's a suicide hotspot, but it's never happened in Shrewsbury.

"It's extraordinary and just goes to show why we need a river safety campaign."

Emergency services were first called to the river at Victoria Quay in Shrewsbury shortly before 8pm on Wednesday to reports of a person in the river.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said a man in his 40s had fallen in and was rescued by members of the public who heard his shouts.

Mr MacAuley said: "Water safety really is in the hands of the public. It just goes to show a little bit of information can save lives.

"We see time and time again it's bystanders that actually do the river rescue. By the time the public has called 999 and firefighters have arrived it's too late."

They were called again at 11pm to reports of a woman in the water near English Bridge. She was rescued by a specialist team and treated for the effects of cold.

Both patients were taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital to be treated for hypothermia.

West Mercia Police launched the year-long campaign called ‘Home and Dry – No More River Deaths’ earlier this year.

It is currently being rolled out across Shrewsbury and other riverside towns to reduce the number of water deaths, raise awareness, provide training and information, and recommend safety products across the region.

Mr MacAuley added: "We will be at the Shrewsbury River Festival, the carnival and other event this year to spread the word. If you live, work or play near water you need to be aware of the dangers.

"I want to make it clear that it's the public that usually do the rescue so it's important to know what to do."

For more information visit westmerciasar.org.uk

Plea from police chief

Shrewsbury’s police inspector also pleaded again for people to take care next to the River Severn.

Inspector Ed Hancox said: "I was alarmed to hear of the further two river rescues that took place on Wednesday – both could have very easily ended in tragedy.

“It is going to be a problem in Shrewsbury because we are a town surrounded by a river, but safety is a priority for West Mercia Police locally and our partners through Team Shrewsbury.

“We will continue to work to raise awareness of river safety and make the town as safe as possible.”

Since 2012, Mr Hancox said he was aware of 10 death by drownings in the River Severn at Shrewsbury.

Last year alone, Shane Walsh and Dwight Jeffrey-Shaw lost their lives in the fast-flowing water.

Mr Walsh, aged 29, fell into the river at Frankwell, Shrewsbury, on September 3 last year and his body was recovered from the water, after three days of searching by specialist teams.

Police have been working closely with Mr Walsh’s widow, Kirsty, who is the face of the Home and Dry – No More River Deaths campaign.

She went on river patrol over Christmas and managed to steer 12 high-risk people away from the river during the festive period.

Mr Jeffrey-Shaw, also 29, from Shrewsbury, fell into the water on December 2 and his body was found near Castle Walk footbridge in town the next day.

At his inquest earlier this month, it was revealed his best friend jumped into the river to try and save him.

Mr Hancox said: “As a result of the deaths, lifebuoys and safety equipment are checked on a weekly basis by Shropshire Council.

“Shrewsbury CCTV has recently been upgraded in the last 12 months and is in operation and closely monitored and street pastors, as part of their work, warn late-night drinkers of the dangers of being near the water and have themselves participated in several river rescues.”

In addition, Shropshire Council has installed additional fencing and barriers at sections of the river deemed medium or high risk, extra signage has been put up to warn people of the dangers of entering the river, and lighting along the towpath has been improved.

Just last month police steered four people away from coming to harm in three days. Between January 11 and 13 there were four incidents that police dealt with by the river in Shrewsbury.

Prompted by a series of deaths in the town’s section of the River Severn in recent years, Team Shrewsbury – a partnership working group between charities, emergency services and other organisations – has implemented a string of new initiatives to stop even more tragedies.

One of these has seen 40 bar staff trained in water rescues, and five bars have received river safety kits containing throw lines and life jackets.

The Pub Watch scheme and riverside patrols over the busy festive period have further served to steer people away from the water.

Meanwhile Shrewsbury Police revealed that thieves or vandals removed the life rings from their stands between Greyfriars and St Mary’s Water Lane in the town at the weekend.

A tweet from the police said: “Words fail us.”