AN ELDERLY lady had to be rescued from the River Marden by members of the public in Calne last Wednesday after slipping and suffering head and shoulder injuries.

Two members of staff from the nearby Co-op supermarket, students from John Bentley and Sheldon schools and another gentleman all rushed to help the 84-year-old out of the freezing cold water.

South West Ambulance Service were called by the lady’s daughter who was at the incident just before 4pm and took the pensioner to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon for treatment.

Students David Ross and Jordan Elliot, both from John Bentley School in Calne, and Sheldon School student Kieron Scarrott were the first on the scene after hearing a woman’s scream.

David, who has been taught first aid as part of his Army Cadet training, said: “We heard a splash and a scream and ran down, saw a woman in the river and jumped in. We saw the woman in the river with a bump to her head and it was bleeding a lot.

“We helped her to her feet, got her out and waited for the paramedics.”

It is thought that the 84-year-old woman’s grandson was feeding the ducks in a section of the river between the two bridges near the Co-op car park when he dropped his toy.

Attempting to recover the treasured toy, the woman slipped from the bank into the river.

Julie Edwards, duty manager at the Co-op, was alerted by a message from colleague Joanne Brewer over the tannoy.

She said: “The lady was in a bad way; her head injury looked quite bad so my colleague and another guy got into the water and helped her out.

“We had to walk her a little way to find somewhere to get her back up onto the bank. She was complaining of her shoulder hurt, and then it was keeping her warming until the ambulance got there.”

“The gentleman he stayed with her the whole time I had to get back into the store when the paramedics got there but he played a really big part.”

The duty manager, who has worked at the Co-op in Calne for 20 years, said she had contacted both schools to pay tribute to the brave pupils.

Assistant head teacher at John Bentley School, Peter Grant, said: “We are just hugely proud of them to show the courage, not to think about it; just get on with it is testament to them as individuals.”

Neil Spurdell, Sheldon School head teacher, said it was his understanding that Kieron used his Sheldon School jumper as a head rest for the injured lady.

“I have made a point of seeking Keiron out and saying what a fantastic job he has done, what a great thing it was to do, we are very proud of him.”