'I met the men who saved me from drowning'

Nathan Clarkson (left) and Perry Bruines (centre) helped save Safraz Hussain's life

A man who almost drowned after getting into difficulty at a beauty spot has been reunited with the strangers who helped to save his life.

Perry Bruines and Nathan Clarkson rushed into the River Wharfe at Bolton Abbey to rescue Safraz Hussain after he went under the surface and lost consciousness while trying to help his daughter and her friends, who had got into difficulty.

The pair pulled Mr Hussain, 41, from Bradford, onto a bank near the stepping stones on the estate in the Yorkshire Dales before they administered life-saving CPR as others helped the children to safety.

"I cannot thank them enough," said father-of-four Mr Hussain, who added: "I owe them my life."

All three men had been enjoying a day out with their families at the popular bathing spot in the Yorkshire Dales National Park on 12 July when the incident took place.

Mr Hussain, who cannot swim, said he entered the water after noticing his daughter and her three friends were struggling to stay afloat.

Unaware of its depth, he quickly began to struggle himself.

"All I can remember is seeing the light through the water," he said.

"I was remembering God, [thinking]: 'Please someone help me, save me'.

"After that, all I can remember is that at one point I felt a bit of calmness and some peace."

Mr Bruines, from Dewsbury, said the water at Bolton Abbey had looked "really calm" that afternoon.

"The sun was shining, everyone was happy and at the click of a finger it all took a turn for the worse," added the 28-year-old.

The River Wharfe at Bolton Abbey is a popular visitor destination on sunny days

"I didn't realise I was in danger because it was that quick - it was seconds," said Mr Hussain.

"One second, I'm walking towards the girls and it's shallow, the next second I'm surrounded by water."

Mr Clarkson, who is 31 and from Barnoldswick in Lancashire, reiterated his call in the immediate aftermath of the near-miss for people to take care when in open water.

"You hear too many horror stories.

"Luckily, this one turned out not to be. People just need to know that open water is very, very dangerous."

According to the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, 65 people in North, South and West Yorkshire drowned between 2019 and 2023.

A further three deaths were recorded by the National Water Safety Forum in 2024.

A Year 8 schoolgirl died after falling into Baitings Reservoir near Ripponden in February, while the bodies of two teenagers have also been found in the River Ouse this year.

"I don't think I'll try to go near water again," said Mr Hussain.

"It has traumatised me."

A spokesperson for the Bolton Abbey estate said the safety and wellbeing of visitors was their "number one priority".

"Since this incident both our own health and safety team and the police have reviewed our signage and found there are adequate warnings of the dangers of entering the River Wharfe."

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