Mother thanks boys' river rescuer

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A mother has thanked a cyclist who jumped into a swollen river to help save her son and nephew.

David Harding, 43, from Bassaleg, near Newport, was cycling downstream of the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff when he heard a cry of distress.

He jumped into the River Taff and saved four-year-old Umar Khan before alerting a passing water taxi which rescued seven-year-old Mohammed Ali Khan.

Umar's mother, Rozeena Khan, 26, of Cardiff, praised Mr Harding's bravery.

"If it wasn't for him, my son and nephew wouldn't be here," she said.

"I really just want to say thank-you. I'm just really, really grateful.

"He jumped in when some other person might have just panicked and everything worked out really well in the end."

Mrs Khan, of Coedcae Street, Grangetown, Cardiff, also praised the efforts of two crew members of a passing water taxi who helped pull Mr Harding and both boys out of the water.The two-man crew of the water taxi helped rescue the two boys

The crew of the Cardiff Aquabus, Danny Rees and Colin Brookes, carried out mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the boat.

Mr Harding was nearing the end of a 55-mile charity cycle ride from Brecon for the Ty Hafan children's hospice when he heard a child screaming.

He jumped into the river and pulled Umar to safety then called out to the water taxi which rescued the older boy.

Mrs Khan said the boys were with her mother but had run off and were playing on the river embankment near their homes.

"They must have gone down the slope and Umar fell into the water. Ali tried to grab him and then he fell in as well," she said.

"Ali's brother Khubbaib was with them and came running up saying Ali has fallen in the water."

Mrs Khan ran to the scene but still didn't know her own son was also in the river. I couldn't find him and I was starting to panic... I thought he was dead Mother Rozeena Khan

"I said 'where's Umar?' and my mum said 'he's in the water'," she said.

"I couldn't find him and I was starting to panic. I thought he was dead.

"He can't swim and I thought he couldn't survive in the water that long.

"There was a man standing there and he said 'they've found the other child'. He just said they were both okay."

Mrs Khan eventually found the two boys, who were wrapped in blankets after being treated by a paramedic.

"I was shivering. My husband had got to them and he was trying to calm me down," she said.

"Umar put his arms around me and then we went into the ambulance."

Both boys have made good recoveries and were released from hospital on Monday.

"We're really, really grateful to everyone who helped," said Mrs Khan.