There's a man drowning! Only one man can save him, and that's... er... him over there. Yes, well done that man.

I helped pull a man out of the river today.

By helped, I mean I attempted to throw lines to reach him, but he actually got rescued by a middle aged man who dived off a moving boat to save him.

The one who needed rescuing was some kid out in a canoe. Couldn't swim, but had a lifejacket on, so he was only in danger of drowning once he started panicking. Which he did.

The bank was full at the time. Hundreds of people, as there was a river festival thing the night before. Nobody else seemed to move, including those who were with the canoeist, so I went off to get a life ring, since he didn't seem that far from the bank. It took me a bit of time, as all the boaties had decided to use the life rings to tie their frenzied dogs to, and I didn't fancy getting bitten while trying to handle a bike and a ring.

So, by the time I'd got back to him, he'd managed to thrash his way further to the middle of the river (I could see he wasn't going to swim to the bank, but had thought he'd at least avoid drifting further out, given that there isn't much stream there to drag you to the middle), two rowers had come up from the club with their throw ropes - rather easier to throw a distance than the ring is. Except they couldn't reach either. So the chap jumped in from the boat, and I threw the throw rope out so we could pull both of them in.

I really need to practice with those throw ropes.