Prestbury rescue

10:37am Friday 15th February 2008

15th Feb, 2008 In March 1823 a report, headed 'Providential Escape at Prestbury', must have had the Courier readers enthralled, as the details were retold.

On Friday 19th March 1823 a little boy only four years of age, and the son of a Mr. Pattenson, was sitting on a wall that adjoined a wear alongside the River Bollin in Prestbury. There was a paddle in the wall, which was placed at the opening of a watercourse supplying Mr. Swanwick's factory.

The watercourse was covered in for about 100 yards, as it passed under the road before it reached the paddle.

As soon as the child fell into the water Mr. Pattenson rushed to save him and leapt into the river, but unfortunately the boy seemed to have disappeared under the paddle. As the child 'glided' under the water Mr. Pattenson at first thought that he had managed to grab one of his son's legs, but his attempt was all in vain. Because of the force of the water, he too would have suffered the same fate as the boy, had it not been for a workman busy near by.

Thomas Hooley did not hesitate to go to the rescue and dragged Mr. Pattenson, quite exhausted, out of the river. It was difficult to get under the paddle without completely going under the water, but Dooley, presumably the stronger man and encouraged by the father, was about to dive in when the vicar of Prestbury came along. Learning quickly what had happened he sprang into the water and discovered that the child was not caught under the paddle.

Then Rev J.R. Browne took immediate action to have the paddle closed, and gave instructions for the one below the wear to be raised so that the watercourse would empty. The rush of water was considerable, but there must have been consternation when no body appeared. The only option then was for the tunnel to be explored.

By then word of the tragedy must have spread, and 'two hardy fellows', John Wheelton and Thomas Dunbar, took up the challenge. As most of the water had gone from the tunnel they pushed themselves along for quite a distance. The only way they could manoeuvre was on their backs, and this they did through the muddy sludge and remaining puddles, hardly able to breathe at times.

Suddenly they both heard the faint wailing of a child, which inspired them to make a great effort, despite the fact that both were extremely weary by this time. There, about three or four yards from the upper paddle, amongst a tangled mass of sticks and rubbish, was the little boy.

Fortunately he had actually been forced into a standing position by the strong force of the water and the mass of rubbish, and this had kept his head out of the current for quite some time. Being small the paddle was just high enough to have allowed him to stand upright.

One of the men managed to lift him onto his chest, and all three had to return feet first down the whole length of the tunnel, as there was no room to escape at that end. As they came out the boy was lifted to safety from the totally exhausted man.

The vicar again took charge and told the rescuer from the bank not to hold the child up by his heels for too long as he might suffocate.

An anxious time followed, and for five hours the boy's 'jaw was locked' and his pulse and breathing were almost gone. But quite suddenly he came to and soon seemed to have recovered, despite the fact that his ordeal in the tunnel had lasted almost three quarters of an hour.

It had indeed been a 'providential escape'; many others who fell into rivers were not so lucky, and did not live to tell the tale.

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