Men rescue woman in river drama

12:48pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

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THESE NEWPORT neighbours dragged a young woman to safety from the cold waters of the river Usk.

But only two hours later, the 21-year-old woman they pulled from the river needed rescuing a second time, after jumping into the Usk again further downstream.

Nick Lane, 60, and Stephen Gane, 47, heard splashing from their homes close to Clarence Place, at around 10pm on Thursday and rushed to find out its cause.

"I saw a girl in the river and police and firemen on the bank with their torches calling to her," Mr Lane, of Frank Street explained.

"I got my dinghy out and saw that my neighbour Steve was also getting in his boat."

Because the tide was high, Mr Gane was forced to dive into the water and swim to his boat.

Mr Lane's boat reached the girl first, and Mr Lane held her afloat. Mr Gane then joined and the two men pulled her into his dinghy.

Using a rope Mr Lane attached the two boats and began to row ashore.

Mr Lane said the girl was freezing but appeared calm.

He said: "She wasn't interested in the lines the fire service were throwing, she kept saying she didn't want to go to the police because she'd be arrested.

"She said she was swimming and when we first saw her she was doing backstroke."

The woman jumped from the dinghy and pulled Mr Gane in with her.

"We both went under the water, and could have drowned," he said.

"It was all very dramatic," added Mr Gane.

Still in the water, Mr Gane held onto his boat with one arm and held the woman with the other.

Mr Lane then continued to row ashore.

Once reaching the bank the three were pulled from the river by emergency services.

The woman was not arrested, and instead taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital.

Yet at 12:06 am Friday morning, fire services received another call to say a woman was in the water by the George Street bridge.

Gwent Police yesterday confirmed that it was the same woman.

This time fire crews pulled her to safety.

Police confirmed she was detained under the Mental Health Act.