To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Boy, 16, Saves Newborn Baby From Drowning In Freezing Canal

Boy, 16, Saves Newborn Baby From Drowning In Freezing Canal

The family are trying to find the mum

Amelia Ward

Amelia Ward

A 16-year-old lad jumped into an ice cold canal to save a tiny seven-week-old baby from drowning.

Brave George Hibberd was walking with his friend Ronny, by a canal in Kent on 3 October at about 9pm when the drama unfolded.

The college student came across the young mum, who was walking her dog with her baby in the pram.

But disaster struck when she knelt down to sort the dog's lead out but didn't realise the pram had rolled off into the nearby canal.

George says this is where the incident took place.
Jam Press

The mum screamed in horror, with George immediately jumping into action to save her baby after the pram had sunk into the water.

Quick-thinking George took his clothes off and jumped straight into the freezing water.

George explained: "I saw the pram right before it rolled off. The mum was putting her dog's lead on and the pram was right beside her but it started to roll off.

"There was a tree there and I thought it was going to block the pram from going straight into the river.

"But I was wrong. There was a dip in the pavement which I think caused the pram to roll off because the ground looked straight.

"In just a few seconds the baby ended up going into the water.

"Me and my friend screamed to the mum 'Your baby!' and she was screaming asking us to help get her child.

"The pram was slightly floating above the water and the baby was still lying inside.

"I got to it just in time before it sank any deeper. If I got there later it would have definitely sunk even more.

"Before I was going in the water, I thought, 'what could be in there?' The canal was my worst nightmare, I can't stand moss, algae, and fish, and rats. The water was freezing cold.

"But I had so much adrenaline I didn't even think about it.

"I took off my clothes and dived straight in.

Fearess George jumped straight in the canal.
Jam Press

"I had to swim a little bit in the middle of the canal. It was really dark and I couldn't see much."

He managed to drag the pram back to dry land and although they baby was understandably distressed, it was back safely with its mum.

George and his pal offered to call a taxi for the mum, but she declined

George added: "The baby was crying a lot. The mum didn't say much, she started saying she was a single mum. I don't remember her saying anything else.

"I offered to phone a taxi for her but she said she lived close by. She stood there holding her baby for some time. I'm not aware of the state of the baby.

"I was going to meet my friends later on. I stuck around for a bit then me and Ronny left, but the mum was stood there for a while."

"I hope the baby is ok. It's hard because we don't know what the outcome was, we don't know the baby was checked or what happened next."

George and his mum, Natalie Hibberd, 39, are trying to get in touch with the mother to see if there is anything they can do to help.

George's family are 'extremely proud' of his selfless act.
Jam Press

George added: "I didn't really want people to know about what I did. I don't like a fuss or like being the centre of attention, I didn't do it for gratification, I did it from the bottom of my heart."

Natalie said: "Myself and my husband, Rick, are extremely proud of George. We're blown away by his courage and his selfless act.

"Someone commented on my Facebook post about what George did and turned up at my office with a £20 JD voucher for him. I've never met her before but she wanted to reward George for what he did. We're all very proud of him."

Featured Image Credit: Jam Press

Topics: UK News