Evening Times Online - June 16 2005
Pensioner drowns in Clyde after bridge plunge drama
A PENSIONER drowned after falling into the River Clyde from a bridge yards from rescuer George Parsonage's home.
Two men, believed to be tourists, tried to rescue the woman after she fell from the St Andrew's Suspension Bridge.
She was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary, but later died. River rescuer George, of the Glasgow Humane Society, was unaware of the rescue drama on his doorstep because he is no longer being called to emergencies by Strathclyde Police.
The force says as he is now working alone he poses a health and safety risk and they will not inform him of incidents.
He is no longer on call and was on a walk further down the riverside with his family when the woman fell in.
He is horrified the OAP died so close to his home.
The two passers-by who tried to save her used life-saving equipment, including ropes and lifebelts, that were in Mr Parsonage's garden.
They jumped into the water and pulled the woman up the riverbank, where they gave her first aid and tried to revive her.
She was pronounced dead in hospital.
Her identity has not been released and a police spokeswoman said:"A report will be sent to the procurator-fiscal."
Rescue duties are now carried out by police divers, who it is feared may not be able to respond quickly enough to emergencies, and firefighters, who are to be trained to operate jet skis on the Clyde.
Mr Parsonage, 61, said: "I feel very said I was not there to save the woman. "Now that I am not on call I can take my children out and spend time with my family, but I would have liked search and locate work to have continued."
In a career spanning 26 years, Mr Parsonage has saved more than 1500 people. Rescue work is just a small part of his remit.
He also works to improve river safety and accident prevention.
Last week he was awarded a grant of £90,000 from Strathclyde Police.