Police commendation for saving toddler

A MAN has received a Police commendation for saving the life of a toddler in the Grand Union Canal.

Gary Waldram had just used the towpath at Leighton as a short cut when he saw 'something silvery' then was shocked to see it was a child's nappy, with the child obviously in distress, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Two years old

It was obvious to him that no one had seen the toddler, that he later found was a just two years old girl who had escaped through a garden gate that had been left open and tumbled into the canal.

It was when he had dodged aside for some runners that he saw the child between two boats, thinking at first it was a doll or something, but then saw it was a child kicking its legs with its head under water, so yelling to a woman he could see over a fence he quickly took off some clothes and jumped in and rescued the toddler.

Paramedics

Luckily there were two police officers nearby, who immediately called the paramedics with the child getting quick attention.  The police advised Gary to get checked out telling him there was the chance of contacting Weil's disease from the water.

He called at the house later where he was profusely thanked for his quick selfless action, and later was presented with a commendation scroll by the Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Police, Jon Boutcher, at a commendation ceremony at police headquarters in Kempston.