A witness to a canal boat accident has described the ‘distressing’ aftermath.
Iain Bowles was near to Macclesfield Canal at Lyme Green where an 80-year-old woman fell in and became trapped beneath her boat.
She was pulled free by a member of the public from the water around 10am this morning (July 13).
Police officers then rescued her from the water.
She was rushed to Macclesfield Hospital where she remains in a critical condition.
The woman’s husband was on the vessel at the time of the accident.
Mr Bowles, who runs Moss Head Boarding Kennels, went out to help after seeing the ambulance arrive and spoke to the woman’s husband.
He said: “They had come through Bridge 47 and she fell off the back of the boat.
“I don’t know how long she was under the water for.
“It was really distressing.”
Iain, who is looking after the couple’s dog while they are at the hospital, added: “There were sirens everywhere.
“There were two ambulances, two fire engines, police cars and the air ambulance.”
Emergency services were called to the canal between bridges 46 and 47.
Police, paramedics from North West Ambulance Service and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service crews from Macclesfield and Poynton all attended.
The woman was carried up the towpath on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance.
Police closed the canal for two hours during the recovery and investigation.
The couple are not from the local area.
