Modest Schoolboys Rescue Girl

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30073, 6 March 1963, Page 12

Modest Schoolboys Rescue Girl

(New Zealand Press Association)

WANGANUI, March 5.

Two schoolboys who dived into the Wanganui river this evening and rescued a six-year-old girl from drowning made off before their names could be ascertained.

When they were found one ot them fold a reporter: “I was scared that I would get it Cram mum for being late home for tea.”

Rodney Johnson, aged 15. and Tony Bristol, aged 14, dived into the river from the Castlecliff wharf and brought Linda Robinson to safety. She had been floating in the river for several minutes after having fallen from the wharf. Her condition tonight was described by Wanganui Hospital as comfortable.

Tony Bristol's mother said later that he did “cop it" for being late for tea. It was not until the boy said he did not feel like eating that she

had any inkling of his act Each of the boys was very modest about his part in the rescue. "Somebody had to do something about it. I guess we did not think about it much. We just dived in,’’ one said.

Firemen from the Castlecliff and Wanganui Central Fire Brigades carried out resuscitation with the aid of an appliance while the child was being taken to hospital.