Fantastic Four Up For A Young Scot Award

Jan 20 2008 By Heather Greenaway

In Association With Lloyds Tsb Scotland For The Journey John Hail Teens Who Rescued Him From Drowning

A MAN rescued from drowning by four brave teens has nominated his rescuers in our Young Scot Awards.

John Hunter, 42, fell unconscious into a canal after an epileptic seizure.

But quick-thinking Ian McFarland, Lee Marshall, Billy Conquer and Claire Carson sprang into action last May at the Union Canal in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh.

Ian and Lee, both 17, dived into the murky water and dragged John out, Billy, 16, resuscitated him and 15-year-old Claire called an ambulance.

Now John, who spent three months in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after the accident, has nominated the four for a Young Scot Unsung Hero award.

Still on crutches after the fall, he said: "There is not a word in the dictionary to describe how grateful I am to them.

"I would not be here today if they had not been there. I will never be able to thank them enough.

"Teenagers in certain parts of Edinburgh get a bad name but I want everyone to know about these young people, who had no hesitation in saving the life of a stranger."

John, who lives with partner Joanna Byron, 40, suffered from pneumonia after the fall and was unable to meet his young saviours until the Sunday Mail reunited them last week.

He said: "The whole incident is a blank as I was in a seizure before I even hit the water and have no recollection.

"My mum met and thanked all the young people soon after the accident but I was in hospital so long I never got the chance. "Being able to put names to faces and shake them by the hand is a dream come true for me. I was afraid of passing them in the street and not knowing them."

Hairdressing assistant Claire was the one who saw John stumble into the canal. She said: "Ian, Lee and I were standing at the other side of the water when I saw a man fall in. All I could see was the soles of his shoes and I started screaming.

"I saw a police van in the distance so I ran to them and they phoned an ambulance."

Meanwhile, Lee, a heating installer, and Ian, a student at Edinburgh's Stevenson College, dashed across a bridge and tried to haul John from the canal. When their efforts failed, they dived in to rescue him.

Lee said: "It took a couple of minutes to get him out because he was wearing a leather jacket, which made him heavy."

Billy, a pupil at Wester Hailes Education Centre, was walking home along the canal when he spotted the commotion.

He ran to help and resuscitated John by pressing down on his chest before an ambulance arrived.

Billy said: "We did what I hope anyone would do. It is so good to see John up and walking about and I wish him all the best."

John says the four teenagers will always be his heroes and added: "They are a great example of what is good about young people in Scotland and if anyone deserves a bravery award, they do."

Do you know someone, aged between 12 and 22, as selfless as our fantastic four?

If so, nominate them for the Sunday Mail and Lloyds TSB Young Scot Awards at www.youngscotawards.co.uk

The winners will be announced at a starstudded ceremony at Glasgow City Halls on March 20.

SUNDAY EMAIL

h.greenaway@sundaymail.co.uk