Pals rescue reservoir leap man

HEROES . . . (from left) Liam Howarth, Andrew Buckley, Jordan Robbie, Terrance Melia, Dean Walker and Josh Hulme at Dovestone. And (ringed) the ledge Mr Lawson jumped from.

SIX teenage pals have been hailed heroes for saving a man who was drowning after “tombstoning” into Dovestone Reservoir.

Ian Lawson (35), from Newton Heath, suffered horrific injuries after recklessly jumping 40ft on to rocks in the reservoir’s shallow waters.

Suffering leg fractures and a punctured lung, he was helplessly swept away. But luckily, the six friends had been passing on a bike ride.

Liam Howarth (15), Dean Walker (15), Andrew Buckley (13), Josh Holme (14), Jordan Robbie (14) and Terrance Melia (16) — all from Hollins — rushed to the man’s rescue.

Liam and Josh ensured his head was above water and pulled him to safety, keeping him conscious and comforting him, while their pals alerted the emergency services and screamed for help.

The adrenaline-chasing craze of tombstoning — jumping from height into water — has resulted in dozens of deaths. Saturday’s shocking incident serves as a timely summer warning of the dangers.

The lads say Mr Lawson, who is believed to have been drinking, first tried to persuade them to jump in with him. They refused.

Dean said: “We told him he wouldn’t make the jump but he said he had done it before.”

Liam added: “We were watching and he just landed on the rocks in about two inches of water.

“He went into the water and was just floating. We ran down and pulled him out of the water. We saved his life.”

Josh said: “If we weren’t there he would have drowned. He was floating off into the distance.

“There was no-one else around. We stayed with him the whole time while we were waiting for the ambulance.”

The pals admit they are struggling to get the grim images out of their minds and have not been eating or sleeping properly.

Liam’s mum Tracy Gilding said: “They thought he was dead and were really traumatised.

“But I’m proud of them. They saved his life.

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents spokesman Roger Vincent said people should always take into account the depth of water, the height of the jump and whether there are any rocks or debris.

He added: “Unfortunately, this is about the fourth serious injury this year we have heard of.

“Some people are left handicapped for life and we have had one death this year.

“We urge people to think twice and understand the water they are going into and the potential for harm. These lads have done a very good thing and it seems like they have saved his life. If he’s in the water he will be in trouble from these sorts of injuries.

“It’s good the lads themselves are sensible to see the dangers.”

Fire crews and paramedics were called to the scene and a rescue boat transported Mr Lawson across the water before he was transferred to Wythenshawe Hospital by air ambulance.

A hospital spokeswoman said Mr Lawson was yesterday stable enough to be transferred from intensive care to North Manchester General Hospital, Crumpsall.