A BRAVE new dad has spoken of the shocking moment he rescued a woman from freezing flood water when he saw her floating down the river.

Colin McGarva was walking his dog on Hylton Road near the Sabrina Bridge in Worcester when he saw the woman floating down the River Severn at around 9am this morning (Monday).

Worcester News: INCIDENT: A police car parked in Grandstand Road on blue lights after a woman was reported to be in the River Severn INCIDENT: A police car parked in Grandstand Road on blue lights after a woman was reported to be in the River Severn (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

Initially, he thought the woman in the water was a mannequin as she lay motionless in the water.

Despite the flood warning in force and the fast-flowing water, Mr McGarva swam out to save her life.

The 31-year-old said: "I looked closer and realised it was a real person. I thought she was dead. I was shouting 'hello!' But there was no response. I saw her move slightly. Her eyes opened.

"That's when I realised she's not dead. I looked around but nobody was around. I tried to flag down a car. It didn't stop."

Worcester News: SAVED: The life ring Colin McGarva used to rescue the woman in Hylton Road near the Sabrina Bridge in Worcester on New Year's Day SAVED: The life ring Colin McGarva used to rescue the woman in Hylton Road near the Sabrina Bridge in Worcester on New Year's Day (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

The owner and director of Purple Cactus Properties, a property and letting agent, spotted an older woman and asked her to look after his German Shepherd, Cuma.

At the same time, he took off his coat and went in the water with the safety ring, swimming out towards the woman, estimated to be in her 50s, in the water.

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Although the woman on the bank warned him not to go in, he felt compelled to act. Mr McGarva fears the woman may have broken her arm when his dog pulled her over.

Now he wants to contact her to make sure she is okay and express his thanks to her for what she did.

Describing the rescue, he said: "The water was freezing. I just had to do it. There was no second thought. I am absolutely fine though I'm getting a bit emotional talking about it now.

"I just grabbed her and dragged her to the side. I had the ring in my left arm and I grabbed her with my right and pulled her towards the ring.

"Another guy was helping me. I just want both women to be okay." 

He said another dog walker helped him get the woman out of the water near the bridge before the emergency services arrived on the scene.

Mr McGarva returned home to Hylton Road to put on warm clothes and said his partner had also been quite shaken by what had happened, especially as they now have an 11-month-old son.

"It was a bit of a shocking start to 2024. I feel really bad about what happened to both women," he said.

The 999 call was received at around 9.05am this morning to reports of a woman in the River Severn near Sabrina Bridge.

A spokesperson for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said a boat crew and a fire engine attended the scene but the woman was already out of the water by the time crews arrived.

It is understood the woman was taken to hospital.  

We have previously reported how a police car was parked on blue lights in Grandstand Road earlier this morning which is connected to the incident.

Mr McGarva would like to make contact with the woman who looked after his dog to make sure she is okay.  He can be contacted through the Worcester News by emailing jc@worcesternews.co.uk