Heroes prevent man from drowning

A DOG walker heroically dropped her dogs’ leads and flung herself into a lake to stop a disabled man from drowning in a split second life-saving decision.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th May 2014, 12:00 BST
WH 140514 Kevin McCluskey and Natalie Thurston - Helped to save a man who fell into water at Brooklands, Lancing. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-140514-104240001WH 140514 Kevin McCluskey and Natalie Thurston - Helped to save a man who fell into water at Brooklands, Lancing. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-140514-104240001
WH 140514 Kevin McCluskey and Natalie Thurston - Helped to save a man who fell into water at Brooklands, Lancing. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-140514-104240001

Natalie Thurston, 26, heard ‘grunting’ and saw a mobility scooter had toppled over the edge of Brooklands lake in East Worthing on Monday afternoon, while walking her three dogs.

Without a second thought, she leapt in to stop the elderly man going underwater, until firefighters rescued him.

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She was joined by pleasure park manager, Kevin McCluskey, who helped keep the man reassured during the ordeal.

WH 140514 Kevin McCluskey and Natalie Thurston - Helped to save a man who fell into water at Brooklands, Lancing. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-140514-104240001WH 140514 Kevin McCluskey and Natalie Thurston - Helped to save a man who fell into water at Brooklands, Lancing. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-140514-104240001
WH 140514 Kevin McCluskey and Natalie Thurston - Helped to save a man who fell into water at Brooklands, Lancing. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-140514-104240001

She said: “I didn’t even think about the consequences and just thought I needed to help the man.

“I just did what any good British person would do.”

For the full story, see the Worthing Herald, out Thursday, May 15.