Hero saves drowning man on first day in job

He said: “I looked into the water and at first I couldn’t see anything – then I spotted a hand.

“I saw him lying on his back floating, he was heading towards the waterfall.

“He rolled over face- first, I couldn’t just stand there watching him.

“I threw my phone out of my pocket and just dived in.

“A few metres out, and the ground just completely disappeared from under me.

“I swam out and tried to grab him. “There was just nothing to him. “I saw an older man on the bank and I was asking him to help me. I told him to grab my hand.

“I was just trying to grab at the weeds under the water to try and pull us closer.

“We managed to drag him out onto the side and I just started to pump his chest.

“He was blue-grey and water was spouting out of his nose and mouth.”

Exhausted Scott was helped to give vital CPR by a passerby on the riverside, before police and paramedics arrived.

He had been resurfacing the hotel car park when a couple walking past raised the alarm around 8.35am.

An ambulance rushed the victim – who appeared to be in his early 60s and was wearing a blue shirt and trousers – to the nearby Royal Alexandra Hospital.

Doctors say his condition is “serious but stable”.

Pal Ryan McIntyre, 31, was also working on the site and told how Scott ran straight to the river after hearing what was happening.

He said: “There was a hand coming out of the water where the man landed.

“The adrenaline just kicked in and Scott rushed over and dived straight in – he’s not even a particularly strong swimmer.

“He had all his work gear on and the water was moving so fast, you could tell he was toiling by the end.

“He’s a hero. He has given the guy the best chance of surviving as he could.

“Scott managed to pull him out and started on his chest, before the police started giving him mouthto-mouth. “What a first day on the job.” Scott, of Mayfield, Edinburgh, spent more than 30 minutes with paramedics being checked over and had to borrow a change of clothes after he was left soaking wet.

Cops interviewed witnesses and combed the riverside for clues to how the man ended up in the water.

Police Scotland confirmed it is probing the drama.

A spokesman said: “Officers were alerted to a report of a 58-year-old man in the River Cart at the Watermill Hotel.

“A workman went into the water and recovered him and he was taken to shore.

“Police commenced CPR until an ambulance arrived.”