The boss of a fish farm rescued a little girl who plunged 3ft into a freezing lake as she was feeding trout.
The owner of Danebridge Fisheries, Lorne Chadwick, grabbed Charlotte Farber after she slipped and disappeared under the icy water by a weir.
Charlotte,three, was visiting the Wincle fishery with family and friends, including her five-year-old sister Maisie.
Her father, Jonathan Farber, said: “It was pretty cold and I noticed that the frost and ice was still clinging to the verges, just as Charlotte fell head first in the flowing water.
“I thought I could grab her feet but they just went out of reach too quickly. Before I knew it she had disappeared under the water and out of sight.”
Mr Farber was about to get into the water to find his daughter when Mr Chadwick leapt in and grabbed her.
“Within moments he had her in his arms,” said Jonathon.
Danebridge Fisheries, a family business since 1978, is home to a trout farm and fishing lake both fed by the river Dane. It is open to the public for fishing and tuition.
Mr Chadwick, 43, said: “I just jumped in after her and got her out. The water was freezing and she was very shocked.
“It’s the first time anyone’s ever fallen in.
“I handed Charlotte to her dad and he got her dried off in front of the gas heater and changed her into some of my daughter’s clothes to keep her warm.”
Mr Farber said that Charlotte, from Knutsford, was undeterred by the drama and eager to return to feeding the fish after her ordeal.
