A tutor at City of Wolverhampton College has spoken of the night he saved a man from an icy canal and how he wants to know how he is.
Paul Mangan, a tutor at the college’s Electric Vehicle and Green Technologies Training Centre at Bentley Bridge in Wednesfield, has said he is desperate to know the status of the man after the encounter on December 13.
Mr Mangan said he had been cycling home from work along the canal path back towards Dunstall Park and said that as he approached the canal towpath near Wolverhampton Railway Station, he heard a noise in the water.
He said: “I was cycling back from work along the canal from Bentley Bridge down to Dunstall Park on that day, which was during the cold snap and it was very dark when I was out and about.
“As I was heading down to near the railway station, I heard something from the water and stopped to have a look, thinking that it was a dog originally.
“When I looked closer through the dark, I realised it was a man – and he was in up to his eyeballs and really quite submerged in the water.”
Mr Mangan said it had been a huge shock to see someone submerged in the canal, but said he made a conscious decision to help the man.
He said: “I think panic mode just set in and there was a rush of adrenaline, so I dropped my bike and ran over to the side of the canal to do what I could to help him.
“I called out for help and a young lad came out to help me drag him out of the water, where he was absolutely soaked, and the young lad rang the ambulance while I put my beanie hat, my coat and my gloves on him to give him some warmth as he was really cold.
“We then sat with him until the ambulance arrived to take him away.”
Mr Mangan said he had spoken to police officers who attended the scene, with one of the officers saying he was going to put him forward for a bravery award.
However, he said he didn’t take the name or collar number of the officer and has drawn a blank in trying to find out how the man was.
He said: “I was interviewed by the police, just to give my side of the story in case of any foul play, which of course there wasn’t any, and the officer said he was going to recommend me for a bravery award.
“That hasn’t happened yet, but my greater concern is about the man and whether he is okay, as he could have had a problem with secondary drowning – but as I didn’t take the collar number, I have not had much luck with the police because of data protection.
“I just want to know how he is and, if he is okay, to get in touch and let me know.”
If anyone has any information, Mr Mangan has asked for it to be sent to Jo Nicholls at the college – nichollsj@wolvcoll.ac.uk
This article appeared in the Express & Star on Saturday, 21 January – read it here
Picture: copyright Express & Star
