A ROWING coach helped police rescue a woman who was swimming naked in the Thames in Henley.
Will Morgan, 24, used his Henley Rowing Club launch to take an officer on to the water to join the search.
Police were called to Marsh Lock at 4.35pm on Saturday, July 10 — during Henley Festival — after being told the woman was in danger from heavy river traffic.
A couple who were near the lock in Wargrave Road also volunteered to help the search.
Mr Morgan, from Caversham, said: “Together with my father, I had been coaching the junior girls and had just got back to the club when the police arrived and asked for help.
“First we checked around the River and Rowing Museum but then the officer got a call saying the woman had been seen at Marsh Lock. We made our way there but by the time we arrived she was out of the water.”
Pc Andrew Kelly, from Loddon Valley police station, said: “We had to be resourceful to deal with this incident as it happened at a busy time.”
He said colleagues in Henley and from other agencies were dealing with a light aircraft crash at Peppard, which also meant the force helicopter was unavailable.
Pc Kelly said two officers finally located the woman at 5.15pm. She was confused and sunburnt and it was thought that she had been in the water for several hours.
She was taken to Loddon Valley police station where it was discovered she was a missing person from Bath who suffers from mental health problems.
Pc Kelly said: “Thanks to the officers and members of the public she is safe. We really are grateful to the people who helped us — without their valuable assistance I am not sure the situation would have had the same conclusion.”
Published on 26 July 2010
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