Miracle rescue as hero engineer dives into canal to save 13-month-old baby girl trapped in overturned car

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A passer-by dived into an icy canal to rescue a baby trapped underwater in a car.

Pat Baker, 54, forced his way into the overturned vehicle which had been almost completely submerged for several minutes.

Although unable to see anything in the murky water he managed to free the 13-month-old girl from the straps on her child seat.

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The child's mother was driving and lost control after colliding with a car travelling in the opposite direction. Pat Baker freed the infant who had been underwater for several minutes

Pulling her clear by one leg, he surfaced again and made it back to the canalside to the applause of onlookers.

The unnamed baby, who suffered a heart attack, was revived by two nurses who had also stopped to help.

No hesitation: Pat Baker

Wednesday afternoon's drama took place at Barrow on Trent near Derby. It began when the child's mother careered her Peugeot 106 into the Trent and Mersey Canal trying to avoid another car.

The woman managed to get out of the vehicle unhurt, at which point Mr Baker arrived on the scene.

The Rolls-Royce engineer, who was out for a drive with his wife Denise, said: "As I went down to the car I just thought 'My God, I've got to do something'."

Mr Baker said he heard a man shouting "There's a baby in the water" and the girl's mother screaming "Save my baby".

After plunging into the canal, he found he could not open either of the Peugeot's doors.

"I had my arms under the water trying to find the door handles," he said.

"The door didn't want to come open so I swam round to the other side. But the door was stuck in the silt, so I swam round and tried again and it opened.

"It was pitch black inside so I had to feel my way and I felt the leg of the child.

"Then I realised she was strapped in and thought 'Oh no, what do I do?'

"I was just fumbling around with the catch and luckily it came loose. I brought her out by her leg.

"I surfaced and could hear the mother shouting 'My baby, my baby'."

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The Peugeot 106 careered into the Trent and Mersey canal

Amy Northover, a nurse at Derbyshire Children's Hospital, gave the child the kiss of life.

She said: "The baby was on the bank and had a very weak pulse.

"With the help of another lady I gave her mouth-to-mouth, chest compressions and hit her back to try to get some of the water out.

"She started to cry a little, which was a huge relief.

"It's all a blur. It was one of those situations you don't want to be in but, when you are there, you do all you can."

Mr Baker, from Derby, added: "Someone came over and said the baby was breathing and I broke down in tears.

"I just did what I did - it will only be worth it if the child is okay. The more I think about it, I just keep wanting to cry.

"I thought she was dead - it's unbelievable. I'm just praying she will be okay."

His wife, who is 55, said: "There was a lot of shouting and people were trying to calm the mother down - she was hysterical.

"Pat just walked up and jumped in without hesitation.

"I have a phobia of water and I just thought 'Oh my God - will he come up again?'

"It was awful. I did say I'm married to a hero. He did what I think he would do every time - that's the kind of fellow he is."

Andy Wright, a police constable called to the scene, said: "It was amazing. The people involved were very brave."

The air ambulance flew the child and her mother to Nottingham's Queens Medical Centre.

 

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