Boy, seven, jumps into river to save his toddler brother who slipped and fell in during family walk 

Quick-thinking boy, seven, jumps into river to save his toddler brother who slipped and fell in during family walk

  • Kate Palmer took her children to a river near their Pengam, south Wales home
  • While skimming stones, two-year-old Louis-Arthur Palmer slipped and fell in
  • Mum Kate, 31, jumped in after him but the fast moving current pulled her away
  • Seven-year-old Lucas dived in and managed to pull him back to the water’s edge

A quick-thinking seven-year-old boy has saved his toddler brother from a fast moving river by jumping in after him.

Kate Palmer was out on her daily walk with her three sons when they ventured near the river to throw in some stones.

While the family, from Pengam in Blackwood, enjoyed the adventure on Sunday afternoon, two-year-old Louis-Arthur Palmer slipped on a rock and fell into the river near Britannia in Rhymney.

Quick-thinking seven-year-old Lucas saved his brother Louis-Arthur Palmer from a fast moving river after he slipped on a rock and fell into the water near Britannia in Rhymney

Without thinking, 31-year-old Kate jumped in after him, but she said the fast moving current pulled her away and she could not reach him.

‘It just happened so fast, he was holding my hand one minute and he just slipped,’ said mum Kate.

‘I dived straight in after him but I just could not get close to grab him.

‘Then Lucas jumped in, he didn’t even think, he just dived in and it was a good job he was there.

‘I think Louis went into like survival mode, he managed to turn onto his back so his head was above the water.’

Kate Palmer, 31, said she was out on her daily walk with her three sons when they ventured near the river to throw in some stones on Sunday afternoon

Kate Palmer, 31, said she was out on her daily walk with her three sons when they ventured near the river to throw in some stones on Sunday afternoon

Without thinking, 31-year-old Kate jumped in after the two-year-old, but she said the fast moving current of the River Rhymney pulled her away and she could not reach him

Without thinking, 31-year-old Kate jumped in after the two-year-old, but she said the fast moving current of the River Rhymney pulled her away and she could not reach him

Kate said she managed to push Louis towards seven-year-old Lucas-Stephen Rowe who then pulled him towards the edge and was helped out of the river by their five-year-old brother, Lawson-Kym Rowe.

The family made their way back to the path and were comforted by a couple who had stopped to see if everything was ok.

‘I was so surprised by the current, I am a strong swimmer, the river looked so calm but there was nothing underneath my feet when I was in there,’ added Kate.

‘My phone was completely ruined from being in the water but I just threw the baby on my back and we just ran home, I didn’t really panic until we got back.’

Kate said Lucas, who turns eight on Friday, said there was a big black hole in the river, referring to how deceiving the depth was.

Lucas then jumped in without a moments hesitation. Kate said she managed to push Louis towards his brother who then pulled him towards the edge

Lucas then jumped in without a moments hesitation. Kate said she managed to push Louis towards his brother who then pulled him towards the edge

Kate said Lucas, who turns eight on Friday, said there was a big black hole in the river, referring to how deceiving the depth was

Kate said Lucas, who turns eight on Friday, said there was a big black hole in the river, referring to how deceiving the depth was

‘I am so thankful that we are all ok, I don’t know what would have happened if he didn’t think as fast as he did.

‘He’s telling everyone he is a super hero,’ Kate joked. 

‘When we got home I burst out crying, my mam lives with us, I was like “I can’t believe what just happened”… for Lucas to just dive in like that. 

‘If I was seven years old I would not have known what to do.’

Kate said that, thankfully, the boys were not shaken up by what had happened, and when she asked Louis if he would like to go and throw stones in the river again, he said ‘yes’.

‘I’m not the type of person to look back and think “what if” but I am so grateful Lucas acted so fast.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk