A well-known Maldon sailing barge skipper helped rescue a young woman from the River Thames last week.

Gerard Swift, who is skipper of Cabby, was on board the vessel with the boat's mate as it prepared for a charter trip from Hays Wharf, just below London Bridge about 5.30pm last Monday.

He said: "There were streams of people coming across the bridge and people looking over as if someone had jumped off. In a matter of seconds I spotted a head and someone in the water coming towards us.

"As it got nearer I realised it was a young woman and the mate threw a life-buoy over and she managed to grab hold of it. I told her to hang on to it and pulled her round to the pier and dragged her out."

Other people around had called police and ambulance who arrived at the scene.

"It was pure chance we were there," said Mr Swift from West Mersea, "Another few minutes and we might not have been on deck."

The barge Cabby is usually refitted at Maldon and at this time of year is normally laid up in St Katherine's Dock.

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan police said they are always grateful when someone helps out. She added a 20-year-old woman was taken to hospital for treatment and later discharged.

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