NARROW ESCAPE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20233, 17 February 1934, Page 9

NARROW ESCAPE.

Bather Rescued at Sumner. YOUNG MAN’S FINE EFFORT. Attracted by screams for help, a young Sumner man rescued an elderly lady from drowning at the main beach at Sumner this morning. She was Miss Ida Salter, 36, The Esplanade, Sumner, and was bathing with her sister off the end of Salter Street, when they both got into difficulties. Each tried to get back to the shore, but only the rescued woman’s sister managed to get out. The beach seemed deserted, so she thought the only thing to do was to scream for help. This she did, and attracted the attention of Mr F. V. T. Tymons. who was reading on the verandah of his home at the corner of Grafton Street. Mr Tymons, who was in his bathing costume, immediately dashed out on to the beach and met one of the two women coming out. She told him that her sister v#s in serious difficulty out in the channel. Mr Tymons, swimming vigorously, reached the woman in deep water, and not knowing the proper methods of rescue, unknowingly applied the fourth method of the Royal Life Saving Society by putting his arm round her neck and swimming with a side-stroke. After a heavy battle with the current, during which the face of the victim was more or less awash, he reached the shore. Miss Salter, the rescued woman, tried to walk to her home, but immediately collapsed. She was assisted ashore and attended by Dr Bakewell, who had been summoned by a neighbour. At the time of the alarm the tide was very low. Mr Tymons is a strongly built young man about 24 years of age. When he was going into the water he met another man coming out, who had tried to help Miss Salter but had had to give tip. Another man, in underclothing only, also gave assistance. About five years ago Mrs W. 11. Nicholson, the Mayoress of Sumner, was rescued at the same spot by a member of the life-saving club. On this occasion the lifeboat rendered assistance.