TWO heroic young pals saved a five-year-old girl from drowning in a Radcliffe lodge

Now Chris Turner is demanding the lodge where his daughter, Jade, nearly lost her life is filled-in or fenced off.

The drama happened at tea-time on Friday (June 7) when Jade wandered to Red Bank Lodges, behind her home in Kirkstall Gardens.

"You can warn kids about the dangers of water and tell them to stay away until you're blue in the face, but they'll go ahead anyway," said father-of-six Mr Turner.

"My wife's back was turned for just one minute when Jade wandered off."

According to her rescuers, Terry Walsh (13), of Park Grove, and Dean Warwick (12) of Stainton Road, Jade slipped into the lodge.

Terry, a pupil at Coney Green High School, said: "We saw her slip in and I heard her crying. She disappeared under the water for a few seconds and then bobbed up. I was able to reach in and grab her, but if I'd needed to I would have jumped in. Dean lifted her head back to clear her airways and then we took her home." The modest hero did not even mention the rescue to his grandmother until a couple of days later.

Mr Turner said: "We are so grateful to the boys for saving Jade's life. There's no doubt that, but for them, she wouldn't be alive."

The lodge is owned by Bury Council. But while Neil Long, head of parks and countryside, sympathised with Mr Turner, it is unlikely that the lodges will be filled-in or fenced off.

"Parents need to supervise children at all times near water," he said.

Mr Long said that erecting fencing around the lodge would do more harm than good.

"People would still be able to climb over it and if they fell in the water, the fencing would hinder rescue attempts."

He added: "We couldn't fill in the lodge, which is managed by a local fishing club, because it is a haven for wildlife. "