DAVID CAMPBELL

Teens are rescued from river

Emergency workers staged a dramatic river rescue to pull two teenagers from fast flowing water.

A 14- year- old girl and a lad, 17, got into difficulty in the Black Cart river near the Paton Mill Retail Park, Johnstone on Friday night.

Police and fire crews raced to the scene around 10.20pm to reports youngsters had gone into the freezing water.

Quick- thinking rescue police threw ropes into the water which the teens were able to grasp on to.

Firefighters led the boy to safety while the girl was helped by police officers at the scene.

Both were led to waiting ambulances and transported to the Royal Alexandra Hospital to be checked over by medics.

Enquiries are ongoing into how the pair came to be in the water

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman described the drama.

He said: “We were alerted at 10.23pm on Friday to reports of people in the water in Johnstone.

“Operations Control mobilised a number of resources to the town’s High Street, where firefighters helped lead one male casualty to safety from a riverbank.

“One female casualty had been helped from the bank prior to the arrival of crews – and was in the care of Scottish Ambulance Service staff. The male casualty was thereafter passed into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service and both casualties were transported to Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital.

“Firefighters left the scene after ensuring the area had been made safe.”

Inspector Jim Cast, from Johnstone, Renfrew and the villages community policing team praised emergency crews involved in the rescue.

He said: “I’m pleased both young people were brought to safety.

“This was a good bit of joint work between ourselves and our partners at Scottish Fire and Rescue. The water was fast flowing and the light was fading so this was a very serious situation for all involved.

“I’m pleased with the outcome and want to thank everyone involved for their efforts.”