N-ice one as Gordon saves terrier Alfie
Hero braves icy pond to rescue dog
A cleaner who risked his life to rescue a Wishaw woman’s dog from drowning in a frozen lake has been hailed “an absolute hero”.
Frank Carroll, 70, was walking his daughter Lee Bradley and granddaughter Ellie’s terrier-cross dog Alfie at Greenhead Moss Nature Reserve, known as Perchy Pond.
Adventurous Alfie mistook the frozen pond for solid ground and ran out around 20 metres before the ice gave way under his paws.
Luckily for him, 50- year- old Motherwell man Gordon Cowan, who had just been speaking to Frank on his way around the pond, sprang into action.
“I was out for a walk with my son and daughter-in-law because I couldn’t go fishing as the weather was so bad,” explained Gordon.
“We had bumped into Frank before and then carried on around the corner before we heard a lot of shouts crying: Alfie! Alfie!
“I knew from the fear in their voices that something was seriously wrong, so I ran back and saw his wee face bobbing up in the water as he tried frantically to scramble back up on the ice.”
Frank got help from a nearby resident and the pair began to busily crack the ice with a spade to try and create a channel for Alfie to swim to safety. Animal-daft Gordon couldn’t wait any longer though and as soon as he saw Alfie struggling to breathe he stripped off and crawled out onto the ice.
He said: “It was absolutely freezing and I know it was dangerous but it was just instinct. I couldn’t leave him out there any longer.
“I just couldn’t bear the thought of Frank having to go back and tell his granddaughter that Alfie didn’t make it.
“When I reached him I grabbed his collar and then the ice gave way underneath us.
“It was absolutely freezing but I had so much adrenaline running through me I didn’t even notice it.
“I threw Alfie up onto the thicker ice and he ran to the shoreline to safety. I managed to crawl back out and thank god we both ended up okay.”
Not content with rescuing Alfie, Gordon then gave Frank and him a lift back home so he could get warmed up as soon as possible.
A trip to the vet confirmed Alfie had picked up an ear infection, but it was nothing too serious, while relieved Lee put a post on Facebook to thank him for his bravery.
Frank said: “We were all so upset trying to get him out but Gordon really went above and beyond because it was so dangerous.
“It was a very courageous thing to do and we can’t thank him enough. We took him thank you cards and a reward around to his house because Alfie is like one of the family.
“We would have been so devastated if he’d not made it.”