Mum and superhero son, 5, pull elderly woman from Prestatyn lake and save dog

The rescue happened last Thursday morning at Ffrith Lake, Prestatyn.

Tiffanny Lyons, a health care support worker at Glan Clwyd Hospital, was with her son Lyle Farrer, aged five, when she heard cries for help.

Lyle spotted the elderly woman, named as Jean, who was "holding on for her life" on the rocks.

Bayley, a 14-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, was also in the water; his head kept disappearing below the surface and he was frantically scrapping at the rocks.

Both were in danger of drowning.

Tiffanny, 27, who also works at Q Care, climbed down the rocks and managed to get Bayley out the lake. Tiffanny then had a shock as Jean fell backwards. She pulled Jean in by her leg, where she managed to get back onto the rocks, and eventually dragged her up from the rocks to safety.

Lyle bravely stayed with two other dogs that Jean had been walking and comforted Bayley by wrapping him up in a coat.

Tiffanny, of Prestatyn, said: "She [Jean] was holding that tight that her fingers were bleeding.

"We never usually walk there. We normally walk on the beach because we live just by the Nova. It was like we were meant to be there.

"My little boy was off school with a toothache and he said 'shall we just go for a walk at the Ffrith mummy?' And I said okay.

"We could hear her screaming 'help, help'. I couldn’t see her anywhere though and Lyle spotted her stood there holding on for her life, onto the rock, and Bayley was there drowning.

"We ran as quickly as we could round the rocks. We had parked where the bowls are and we ran from there.

"Lyle sat at the top with the other two dogs. He was sitting there, trying to keep them calm and was telling them a story about going fishing with his dad.

"I just jumped down as quickly as I could and got Bayley out.

Bayley's owner Margaret Burnell, Tiffanny Lyons, Lyle Farrer, 5, and Bayley. Picture: Geoff Abbott, GA050419A

"At this point she was steady and seem to have her balance, so I got him out as quick as I could and put him up.

"I looked down and she fell backwards. She’d just gone straight onto her back and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

"I climbed back down and I had to pull her in by her leg because she was on her back in the water. She’d gone right in, head under, everything. We managed to get her sturdy on the rocks but she couldn't get her leg up. There was a really high rock.

"I had to lean down to pull her up. I pulled as hard as I could. I just had to, I know your are not suppose to, but I had to drag her out, I had to get her out.

"It was horrible seeing a dog and woman so vulnerable. Her lips were blue and she was trying to be so tough. She was a remarkable woman.

"Lyle was a superhero looking after Bayley at the top. He wrapped him up in my coat and sat there with him keeping him warm."

Tiffanny phoned 999 and the fire service, paramedics and the police quickly arrived on scene. She also phoned Gordon Burnell, who owns Bayley.

Jean, who is a friend of the family and former neighbour, moved away from the area but regularly returns to see a friend and carries out dog walking.

Gordon, who is married to Margaret, said: "We only live about half a mile away.

"It was a shock to get a phone call like that, it was terrible, but Tiffanny called me and asked me to bring some blankets.

"When I saw Bayley he was shivering his head off. Jean was in one of these tin foil blankets. If Tiffanny hadn't been there, well I don't like to think about it. I reckon both of them [and Bayley] would have been gone.

"I would like to thank Tiffanny for rescuing Jean and Bayley.

"Jean is a wonderful woman. She moved away from the area but regularly returns and walks Bayley maybe once or twice a week."

Fortunately Bayley has made a speedy recovery.

Gordon added: "We put the heating on full for him and he quickly dried out. We have had him for years. We are so glad he is ok."

Jean, who didn't go to hospital and drove home after the ordeal, said: "I really want to say about the little boy who had to look after the dogs while his mum tried to pull me up. My hand wouldn't grip. I was right underneath the water.

"The little boy was frightened that his mum was going to go into the water. He watched his mum hanging over the edge, he was so brave, and then wrapped his coat around Bayley.

"Tiffanny was with me all the time."

Speaking about what happened, Jean added: "Bayley sailed through the air. I clambered down to get to the lake and I couldn't get up. I shouted for help and she heard me from a long way away. I was standing there and I lifted my arm up but it didn't have the strength.

"It was terrible, if I just had a little more flexibility. I was blue with cold but I am a tough old bird. I didn't go to hospital. The police, fire brigade, paramedics were all brilliant."