A PENSIONER who plunged 40 feet down a well and held on for almost two hours has thanked the paramedic who saved her life.

Anne Towl, a grandmother from Marshfield, fell into the well as she was on her way to feed her horse in a field near her home in St Mellon's Road.

As she crossed private land owned by a local farmer, she plunged into 40 feet of freezing water.

Mrs Towl said: "I knew there was an old well there which has been covered by a paving slab, but it must have given way.

"All of a sudden I was plunging through water and debris was coming down on top of me."

Mrs Towl, a former licensee who is in her seventies, was able to swim to the surface but was unable to climb out.

A women and her son passing by eventually heard her calls for help, and called the ambulance service.

Paramedic Richard Harris, 55, arrived at the scene but realised he could not rescue Mrs Towl alone, yet his words of encouragement were crucial to her.

"He could see my grip was failing and I was trembling so much," said Mrs Towl.

"He told me to hang on to his leg when my strength was failing fast and it was his encouragement that kept me going."

Firefighters arrived at the scene within minutes and rescued Mrs Towl on November 23. She was treated for hypothermia.

"I am so grateful to them all for saving my life," added Mrs Towl.

Mr Harris, who has been with the ambulance service for 23 years, said: "She was soaking wet and freezing cold, and I don't know how much longer she could have held on."