At just five years old little Logan Allison is already a hero.
When mum Kimberley Allison fell into the River Wear during a walk near Mount Pleasant, the courageous youngster quickly ran to get help from a passerby and asked her to call 999.
The frightening ordeal took place at around 5pm on Wednesday, July 5 when Washington mum Allison slipped on the riverbank. The 39-year-old was immediately up to her chest in water and with the river level rising she knew there was only a matter of minutes left before she would be completely submerged.
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However, mum-of-three Kimberley managed to stay calm and called out to Logan to ask him to find help. Despite the frightening situation, the Biddick Primary School pupil didn't panic and immediately ran to find a passerby telling them his mum was in the water.
"Logan likes to watch me throwing sticks and stones into the river so I let go of his hand to pick up a stone and took a couple of steps forward and the bank must have been really slippy because it pulled me into the river," she said.
"I made a couple of attempts to get out but it was impossible. So I said to Logan, 'We need to stay calm and we need to get some help.'
"Logan ran back up onto the path and ran along shouting for help and found someone but the person he found didn't have their phone. So he had to wait longer while she found someone else with a mobile.
"He stayed really calm, trusted what I was saying and listened. I felt I had 10 minutes to get out of the water because it was rising so quickly."
The passerby was able to alert another walker who called the emergency services and the fire brigade arrived on the scene just minutes later to pull Kimberley from the water.
"I could then hear the sirens and the thuds of the firefighters running [towards the river]. Logan saw them running along and ran up the footpath and flagged them down and said, 'mammy is down there.'
"He knew to wait to let them do the job. He was just brilliant, if he had not been there I would have panicked. I don't know how I would have got out if he hadn't have been there. "
Two fire engines from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, along with North East Ambulance Service paramedics, the Mountain Rescue Service and the Coastguard were also called to the scene. And Logan's heroic actions were praised by all the emergency services in attendance.
Proud parents Kimberley and David Allison said they are in awe of their son's quick thinking.
"For five years old he was absolutely incredible," said Kimberley, who runs Cheeky Chimps Childcare in Washington.
"Some of it must have just been instinct. I am in the childcare sector so I am always mindful about talking about the risks of water so he knows that if anybody goes in any type of water you never go in you call for help.
"But he also ran out onto the path to flag the fire brigade down even though he had never been taught that, he just instinctively did it. He was brilliant. I am so proud."
TWFRS have also praised Logan's actions as they warned the public about the dangers of open water.
Station Manager for Washington Community Fire Station, Martin Farrow, said: “Logan was an incredibly brave boy for staying calm and finding someone he trusted to give us a call during such a scary incident with his mam last night.
“It can be quite frightening when you enter the water so suddenly like Kimberley did because even when the weather is nice, the water can be freezing and cause your body to go into cold water shock.
“I want to say thank you to our fire control and firefighters for getting to Kimberley so quickly in her time of need and getting her safely back to Logan.”
Water safety advice from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service
It may be hot, but the water can be icy cold, and we cannot stress enough the risks of cold-water shock, and the effect this has on even the most competent of swimmers.
Please only consider entering water in controlled environments where there are lifeguards on duty, and do not go for a swim in rivers, lakes, or unsupervised bodies of water where there could be a number of hidden dangers.
If you do see anyone in difficulty in the water then don’t enter the water. Instead call 999 and ask for the fire service if you are inland or the Coastguard if you are by the sea.
If you get in difficulty yourself then a simple skill we ask everyone to remember is ‘Float to Live’.
Simply lean back like a starfish and use your arms and legs to stay afloat.
This will allow you to control your breathing, then call for help or swim to safety. The technique has been proven to save lives.
