A Good Samaritan braved fast flowing flood waters to save a man who was clinging onto her garden wall during torrential downpours last Wednesday (March 9).
Jenny Coates, of Willow Farm Close, in Alconbury Weston, was shocked to hear a man shouting for help as the water raged through Hamerton Road in the village.
She said: “I closed the curtains in my kids’ bedrooms and had gone outside to check on the flood levels outside in my front garden when I heard cries of help so I called back to see if anybody was there.”
It was then that Mrs Coates heard the desperate plea again and became more concerned about the situation.
“I ran to the edge of my garden and looked over the wall to see that there was someone holding onto it.”
The 42-year-old sprung into action to save the man from the wave of flood waters that was around four foot at the time.
“I held onto on of my smaller trees in my front garden as I worried that if I didn’t grab onto something then I would fall in myself.
“I leaned forward and told him to grab my hand and was pulling him up into the garden. This was difficult because of all the trees in my way, so I was pulling him through all the branches.
“I could see that his legs were given way under the way as he was struggling to hold on- it was scary.
“During this time I was worried that I could have fallen in myself, if I had lost my footings then things could have been a lot different.”
After a few minutes Mrs Coates managed to pull the man into her garden and away from the danger of the floods.
Mrs Coates added: “When I pulled him out I kept asking if he was alright and asking if he wanted to come in but he just went on his way after the incident.”
Talking to The Hunts Post about the rescue the supply teacher is thankful that nothing worse happened.
“It all happened so quickly, my first reaction was to just get him out of the water as I didn’t know how long he had been there or what state he was it.
“The flow of the water was so fast and he could have been swept away – down the road – I really have no idea what he was thinking being in the water.”
It is believed that the man was trying to get up to the top of Willow Farm Close from Hamerton Road when he lost his footing in the commotion.
“I really don’t know how he is now as I haven’t even heard from it but it was nice to find out who he is and whether he is well,” added Mrs Coates.
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