Shrewsbury man rescued from river told he will never walk again

Dan Walker said he had never been so scared in his life

A man who was rescued after falling in the River Severn in Shrewsbury has said he may never be able to walk again.

Dan Walker was left with life-changing spinal injuries following the incident on 4 April.

Mr Walker, from the town, said he had tried to haul himself out, but his feet became stuck in the mud.

He was pulled to safety by passers-by and praised "true heroes" Will Mowbray and his girlfriend Molly.

The 31-year-old has told BBC Radio Shropshire he now plans to take part in the London Marathon in October, using his wheelchair.

"It would be a shame if I sat here feeling sorry for myself and wasting the life I've been given," he said.

"My first big challenge of being in a wheelchair is trying to complete a marathon, which is a big push for me."

Will Mowbray was treated for hypothermia after rescuing Mr Walker

Mr Walker described the moment he got the chance to meet his rescuers face-to-face as "the second greatest day of my life".

"They are my heroes and deserve the very best in life, they are such lovely and amazing people, they are genuinely kind and caring", he said.

Mr Walker said his memories of the incident were still vague in places, but Mr Mowbray had "never let go".

The rescuer said he had been walking his girlfriend home when he heard the cries and was able to hold Mr Walker's head above the water until help came.

Recalling the incident, Mr Walker said: "It was a crazy experience but I think I'm a better for it in a lot of ways, it has given me a new perspective on life.

"Despite losing my legs this is the probably the healthiest I've been in about 20 years.

"I'm happy and look forward to what life brings me."

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