A BRAVE neighbour saved the life of a 53-year-old woman when he dragged her out of a freezing river.

Police labelled Martin Finnigan, 53, an ‘excellent citizen’ after he came to the rescue of Angela Halstead when she fell in icy waters at the back of homes in Burnley Road East, Lumb, Rossendale.

Two ambulances, three police cars and a fire engine attended the incident around 5.30pm on Tuesday, as tempera-tures plummeted as low as -7°C.

Ms Halstead was treated near Peers Clough Road for more than an hour, before she was taken to Fairfield General Hospital in Bury by ambulance.

The hospital confirmed she was discharged later that night.

Mr Finnigan, a powder coater with RGS Sheetmetal, Burnley, said: “I had just got home from work.

“My partner Tina had gone out to put the rubbish out and I could hear her talking to somebody.

“She said ‘she’s in the river, she’s in the river!’ I didn’t really think. I had just taken my work clothes off so I put them back on and went out to help.”

He said he did not know how his neighbour had come to be stranded in the chilly waters at the bottom of her garden, but hearing her shouting he climbed over the fence to try and help.

While she was only waist deep in the tributary to the River Irwell, she was also four feet below the river bank.

Mr Finnigan said: “I grabbed her but she couldn’t get out.

“She was absolutely wet through, from head to foot.

“She said ‘I can’t use my arms’, so I got my arms under hers and dragged her out.

"She was absolutely frozen, so me and Tina took her into her flat to try and get her warm.”

Tina Scott, 44, took her partner to the Hargreaves Arms pub for a celebratory pint.

He added: “I was freezing afterwards. I’m still trying to get warm!”

PC Richard Paddon, of Rossendale Police, said other neighbours had also helped look after Ms Halstead until officers arrived.

He said: “We’re just pleased she is alright. It could have been a lot worse.”

Meanwhile Sergeant Steve Brown praised Mr Finnigan and highlighted the dangers of rivers and lakes in the winter. He said: “This was an act of excellent citizenship.

“With water, the message has got to be don’t go in or near because you don’t know deep it is, or, especially at this time of year, how cold it can be.

“You can quickly get in trouble because the sheer coldness can affect your body temperature very quickly.”

Ms Halstead could not be contacted for comment.