A young boy was rescued after being found “face down” in the water in County Durham.
A bystander spotted the two-year-old in the River Wear, near Riverside Park, in Chester-le-Street, on Tuesday and quickly raised the alarm.
It is believed the youngster had been enjoying a day out with his grandparents and brother but wandered off.
A member of staff from Alexander Adventures was delivering a paddle board session when they heard a call for help and quickly went over.
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After rescuing the youngster, they took the child to a nearby Sea Cadet building to administer first aid and awaited emergency services.
Joe Alexander, who owns travel company Alexander Adventures, said: “We had a youth group down there and one of our team was on that particular part of the river.
“One of our instructors looked across and saw what we’d say was a toddler aged child face down in the water.
“He paddled across and a bystander, who was a parent but not the parent of the child, jumped in the water.
“Then our leader who had safety gear and was a qualified canoeing instructor paddled across and grabbed the parent and young person who was face down and got them to the side.
“We took them to the Sea Cadet and rowing club building as we have a purpose built drying room that dries our blankets and gives them hot drinks.
“We administered first aid and the rowing club called the emergency services.
“It is as near to a fatality as we have ever been close to.
“We are offering counselling to our team as well as it is pretty severe.
“We are lucky the instructor was ex-forces and also an extremely well qualified instructor."
“Luckily we were in a good position and the young person went off to hospital and got the medical care they needed."
A North East Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: "We were called to Riverside South in Chester-le-Street at 11.37am on 3 August to reports of concerns for a child in the water.
"The child was out of the water when our ambulance crew arrived to take over treatment and they transported the child to hospital.”
A Durham Constabulary spokesman said: "We were called at approximately 1.45pm on Tuesday to Riverside Park in Chester-le-Street following reports that a child had been rescued from the water."
The spokesman said the two-year-old boy had fallen into the River Wear and was briefly submerged before being rescued.
He added: "Police attended the scene and the child, who was distressed but otherwise unharmed, was taken to University Hospital of North Durham by ambulance to be checked over."
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