Leyburn flash flood: Honour for postman and neighbour who saved woman, 92

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TWO men have received Royal Humane Society awards for saving the life of a 92-year-old woman who had fallen in the water during flash-flooding in North Yorkshire in July.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, July 30, Leyburn postman Danny Weston was halfway through his usual round that extends to the town’s outskirts. Whilst walking up a long driveway he noticed its house door was open. Knowing the inhabitant was an elderly woman who lived alone he was instantly on alert and his suspicions were quickly confirmed when he heard cries for help.


Making his way into the garden he saw the house’s occupant, a partially sighted 92-year-old woman sat in the garden stream. Seemingly in some distress she explained to him she had been weeding, fallen in the water and couldn’t get up.

Mr Weston explained: “I asked her if she was injured and she said her knee hurt, so I jumped down as it is a few feet lower.

“I knew I couldn’t do it by myself so I ran and got Tony.”

Neighbour Tony Booth has lived in Leyburn for several years, together both men pulled her out of the water but could not assist her up the embankment but managed to get her onto her side.

With the arrival of the paramedic things became initially easier but the weather worsened. The torrential downpour of heavy rain caused the stream’s water level to rise at an alarming rate – at one time it reached waist high. Leyburn firefighters then arrived and resolved the deteriorating situation by pulling her free.

Suffering hypothermia and receiving serious injuries to her knee, after a number of weeks in hospital the resident returned home.

North Yorkshire County Councillor Karin Sedgwick heard of the incident and after speaking to the woman, nominated both Mr Weston and Mr Booth for a Royal Humane Society award.

At a meeting of its Awards Panel, the society unanimously agreed with the nomination.

Presenting both men their framed certificates, Cllr Sedgwick said: “Although we saw unprecedented weather cause severe floods and devastation across Wensleydale and Swaledale, this is a good news story.


“The actions of Danny and Tony most certainly saved a life that afternoon and I am pleased to give them these well-deserved awards.”

The actions of the paramedic and firefighters are being considered for commendations by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and Yorkshire Ambulance Service.