Boy stuck in quarry

Press, 21 July 1980, Page 1

Boy stuck in quarry

PA Auckland A police sergeant climbed about 10 metres down a narrow fissure in a quarry at Wiri yesterday afternoon to help a trapped boy, aged 13. Two Manurewa boys were playing in the quarry, on Roscommon Road, about 1 p.m., when one of them climbed down into the fissure. About 12 metres from the surface he found that his legs were trapped in the narrowing opening, and called to his friend to go for help. Sergeant W. M. Joyce, arriving at the quarry soon afterwards, decided to climb down to try to help the boy. Sergeant Joyce found that the volcanic fissure was too narrow for him to climb down further. He shone down his torch and called out to the boy, who called back saying he was not hurt, but that his legs were trapped. Unable to get down far enough to help the boy, Sergeant Joyce spoke to him for several minutes, encouraging him and suggesting ways he could free his the boy pulled his legs free and was able to climb upwards again. He crawled past the policeman, and- the two reached the surface together a few minutes later. Neither was hurt. ■