Quickline, the broadband service provider, commends the swift and heroic actions of two of its engineers, Mike Anscombe and Wesley Naulls, who played a crucial role in the rescue of a man from the River Trent in North Lincolnshire.
The incident unfolded when Peter Etchell, 61, was mowing the lawn at the bottom of his riverside garden in West Butterwick, near Scunthorpe. The ground suddenly gave way, causing Peter to fall over 10 feet into the fast-flowing river, leaving him trapped in waist-deep water.
Unable to extricate himself, Peter’s wife Cath attempted a rescue but was unsuccessful. In a stroke of fortune, she spotted Quickline engineers Mike Anscombe and Wesley Naulls, who were nearby. Without hesitation, the engineers rushed to the scene, throwing a rope down the river bank and successfully pulling Peter to safety.
Lee Allison, Quickline’s Chief Operating Officer, commended the engineers’ quick thinking and professionalism in handling a challenging and serious situation. He expressed pride in the decisive actions of Mike and Wesley, emphasizing the positive outcome of their intervention.
Peter Etchell recounted the incident, mentioning that the slippery, muddy ground and the steep river bank made it impossible for him to climb out of the Trent. He spent more than 15 minutes in the cold water, emphasizing that without the timely assistance of Mike and Wesley, the situation could have turned “catastrophic.”
Acknowledging the limited grip in his hands, Peter expressed gratitude, saying, “My wife and I would not have managed it without Mike and Wesley, and I would definitely have slipped further into the river if they hadn’t come to my aid. Mike and Wesley have my eternal thanks and gratitude.”
Quickline applauds the heroic efforts of its engineers, emphasizing the importance of their decisive actions in preventing a potentially tragic outcome.
