A teenager has been praised for her quick-thinking actions after she saved the life of a toddler whose pram had rolled into Caerphilly Castle moat.
Jess Thomas, 16, from Caerphilly, was on her way to meet friends in the town centre on January 2 when she saw two-year-old Morgan Harris’ pram rolling down the banking into the water.
Morgan was with his great-grandfather when the incident happened.
The teenager told Caerphilly Observer she did not have time for a reaction when she saw the pram heading into the cold, murky, water.
She said: “At first I noticed the child in the pram rolling towards the water. I shouted and just ran, I didn’t really have a reaction.
“The water was cold at first but I stopped noticing it. I don’t think I was in the water for long.
“I just did what anyone else would have done.”
After her heroic actions, Jess carried on walking into town to meet her friends.
She added: “When I walked to my friends I just started to cry – I didn’t really know what had just happened.”
Jess’ mother, Carrie Thomas, said: “We are all very proud of her. I don’t think she realises how big a deal this is. The child could have died.”
After the incident, Morgan’s mother, Nia Harris, tracked Jess down to thank her for her bravery.
Nia said: “I was panicked at the time but I’m so grateful to Jess for helping.
“It was an amazing thing to do. It could have been so different.”
A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called on Wednesday, January 2 at approximately 2.05pm to reports of a child in a pram having rolled into water in Caerphilly. We responded with a rapid response vehicle, where a young boy was treated at the scene.”
They added: “The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust would like to commend Jess for her brave actions.”
Thankfully, Morgan was given the all clear by medics and is, according to his mother, “back to his usual self”.