Firefighters rescued a 14-year-old boy who became stranded on an island in the River Aire after his canoe capsized.

Passers-by near The Old White Horse, Old Main Street, Bingley, noticed the panic-stricken youngster around 7pm yesterday.

A Bingley firefighter, tethered by a harness, waded into the river to rescue the boy who was 30 feet out in the river, swollen by recent heavy rains.

David Inman, leading fire fighter at Bingley, said: "He was very frightened and cold and had been stuck there about 15 minutes. He had been canoeing and after capsizing had scrambled on the island while his canoe floated downstream."

Station officer Stephen Nunn, of Shipley fire service, added: "It's the first time I have had to go through a pub in connection with operations! We went through The Old White Horse and one of the Bingley lads waded up with a line attached and got him back safely.

"The boy was exceedingly distressed at first but when he saw us and we told him to stay where he was he calmed down. His father was on the scene and was told to take him home and give him a hot bath and hot drinks. He had swallowed some water but said he didn't want to go to hospital."

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