South Yorkshire Times November 13, 1948

Swinton Mother Rescues Bolton Boy From Canal

A 10 years-old boy, John Hirst, of School Street, Bolton was rescue from the canal at Bowbroom on

Saturday by Mrs. Gladys Day wife of Mr J Day , 13, St George’s Avenue, Swinton. Mrs Day, mother of two children, was picking rabbit food by the canal with her four years old son David, when she saw Hirst and another boy cycling along the canal bank the other boy road in front, as they approached the bridge, but Hirst “seemed to ride straight into the canal.”

“Just Reached Him”

“By laying down on the canal bank, I was just able to reach him, and he scrambled out,” Mrs. Day told a “South Yorkshire Time” reporter on Monday.

He was more worried about his bicycle than about his personal misfortune, not Mrs Day whether they could get the bicycle out. More practical, Mrs they bundled him off to Manvers Main Colliery, where he was given a warm drink, where they advised Mrs Day to take him to her home.

She gave another drink and something to eat, wrapped him in a blanket and some clothes belonging to a 50 years old daughter. She then informed the police, who in turn, sent word to his mother.

Mrs Hirst arrived at Swinton early on Saturday evening, and found John little the worse for his experience, despite Saturday afternoon’s cold weather.

Mrs Day told our reporter: “He just seem to ride into the canal. It was a bit muddy at the spot and I think he must have slipped or skidded.”

John and the other boy had changed bicycles. John being on an old machine belonging to his friend and the other boy being on a new bicycle which belong to John’s sister.

John was rather shy of telling his parents what had happened, and his father said, “He was more concerned with the loss of his bicycle and with his own misfortune, and probably the incident would not have come to light but for this fact.”

He was none the worse for his little adventure the following day when Mrs Hirst called to thank Mrs Day for her rescue work.

“In fact,” said Mrs Hirst this “he was rather thrilled with the whole affair.”

The bicycle was later recovered from the canal stop this