ACTORS rehearsing for the Christmas panto Jack and the Beanstalk in Newport used a rope from their show to pluck an elderly woman from the river Usk during a dramatic rescue on Friday night (November 27).
The cast of the show grabbed the long rope Jack uses to pull his cow after hearing the woman’s cries for help at the Riverfront Theatre in Newport.
Police said the 72-year-old woman from Newport had been in the “bitterly cold” waters for at least 15 minutes.
She was taken to Royal Gwent Hospital after police helped with the rescue by going into the river and using a buoy to drag her to safety.
Ian Liston, the producer of the Christmas panto, said today: “The actors were in the dressing room and the window was open.
“They heard somebody crying and shouting in the river so they ran downstairs and alerted the stage and technical managers.
“Everyone went outside immediately. They saw the woman struggle.
“The first thing they could find to help them was a rope used in the show for Daisy the cow.
“They took the long rope and used it to throw the woman a lifeline.”
To read the full story, click here.
Fire crews from Duffryn, Malpas and Maindee also helped with the rescue at around 8.30pm.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here