Baby rescued from Romford lake by passing heroes

Two quick-thinking heroes prevented a tragedy in a Romford park at the weekend after a buggy with a baby rolled into a lake.

Recorder merchandising executive Gill Broad and a man plunged into Raphael Park pond and dragged the submerged pram from around three feet of water.

“I heard this terrible scream and turned to see a woman jumping into the lake trying to pull out a baby’s buggy,” said Gill.

A passer-by - thought to be a Polish man, who was walking with his pregnant wife - jumped into the water pulling the buggy, laden with shopping, out to Gill who was poised on the bank.

“It all happened so quickly,” said Gill. “I am just so thankful that we were able to get them out.”

According to a witness the family - the woman, the baby and a toddler - were feeding the ducks when the buggy rolled down an incline into the lake disappearing beneath the surface, at around 10.45am on Sunday morning.

The distraught woman, thought to be the children’s grandmother, had struggled to lift the buggy from the deep water, the witness added.

Other passers-by also rushed to help, comforting the two-year-old toddler, and drying the soaking infant.

“The child was hysterical,” said Gill. “But the baby seemed more surprised than anything else.

“The grandmother apparently suffered from shock but declined the offer of an ambulance.”

Steve Rawlins, parks protection manager, and his team were quickly on the scene.

“It would seem the brake was not put on the buggy and it rolled into the lake,” he said.

He praised the rescuers for their quick reactions and helping to prevent a terrible tragedy.

“It does not bear thinking about what could have happened if these people had not acted so fast,” he added.

And he gave a warning for people to be wary of the dangers when close to water, particularly where children are involved.

The grandmother, thought to be in her 60s, was taken to an address in Romford by the parks team,

The male rescuer left the scene without giving his name.