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Teen 'Nearly Died' After Stepping On Canal That Looked Like Grass

Teen 'Nearly Died' After Stepping On Canal That Looked Like Grass

He'd just enjoyed a Nando's when the nasty accident happened

Amelia Ward

Amelia Ward

The mother of a man who almost died after he walked into a canal that looked like grass has said that 'something must be done' to prevent further accidents.

The incident, which took place just half an hour before a father and his young son made the same mistake, happened in Walsall in the West Midlands.

The 19-year-old had just been for a meal at Nando's when he fell into the cold canal. Not being able to swim, he managed to keep his head above the water until he was thankfully pulled out by a passer-by.

His mum - who wishes to remain anonymous - says her son is now traumatised after what could have been a very different outcome.

It's an easy mistake to make.
BPM Media

Speaking to Birmingham Live, she said: "This could happen to anyone. Something needs to be done - or are they waiting for someone to fall in and die? I just thank God he came out, with the help of friends and a passer-by.

"I thought he was joking when he first told me. It gave him such a shock, it has left us all feeling shocked about what happened."

She said that when he came home he was 'soaking', but had managed to dry himself off with towels given to him by a nearby Premier Inn after he went in looking for help.

The father and son who later experienced the same thing were Steve Worthington, 41, and his 11-year-old son Lewis - they too stepped straight into the waterway.

The shocked father had to battle to save his son and keep his head above the water as the pair desperately tried to clamber to safety.

Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, Mr Worthington said there were no signs alerting them to the danger.

The pair fell into the canal after mistaking the weeds for grass.
BPM

He said: "We just stepped straight in and went straight under the water.

"We have never been down there and we couldn't see any warning signs in place. The whole area is thick green weeds - it looks just like grass and at night concrete.

"The water was freezing cold and we must have gone under quite a few times, it was so scary. We must have been struggling for like five minutes."

A spokesman for the Canal & River Trust, which oversees the waterway near to the site, said: "We are aware that there is a problem with an overgrowth of weed in the basin, which can make it seem as though the area is covered in thick grass, hiding the water underneath.

"Safety signs have been installed at the basin warning people of the danger. Removing the weed is an ongoing battle and there will be a team from Canal & River Trust out in the basin to clear sections of the weed in the next few days."

Featured Image Credit: BPM Media

Topics: uk news