A 61-year-old grandmother nearly drowned in a sinkhole whilst attempting to rescue her dog at a North Yorkshire recreation ground.
Carol Carne was walking her three-year-old cockapoo Ruby at Eston Recreation Ground on December 27 when the terrifying incident unfolded.
What appeared to be a large puddle turned out to be a dangerous sinkhole that nearly claimed both their lives.
Three strangers rushed to their aid after hearing her desperate screams, managing to pull both Carol and Ruby to safety.
Carol Carne tried to rescue her cockapoo Ruby but fell into the sinkhole
Carol described how she plunged into the freezing water after the ground gave way beneath her whilst trying to reach Ruby.
“I plunged down and I remember opening my eyes and looking up to see that I'd gone far underwater,” she said.
The grandmother found herself completely submerged, desperately trying to keep both herself and Ruby afloat in the icy water.
“It was freezing. I swam to the top and grabbed Ruby – who by that point was basically drowning. But I myself was gasping for air and whenever I tried to get out – the ground on the side was giving way,” she recalled.
Two heroic women initially attempted to pull Carol from the sinkhole, struggling with the rescue effort.
A male passerby, alerted by Carol's screams, joined the rescue operation, and together the trio managed to save both Carol and her pet.
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What appeared to be a large puddle turned out to be a sinkhole
“If it wasn't for those three people, I wouldn't be here today,” Carol said, expressing her gratitude to her rescuers.
Carol is now searching for the unknown man who helped in the rescue, hoping to thank him personally for his role in saving their lives.
“I've never been so frightened in all my life. I genuinely thought I was going to drown,” Carol said.
The incident has left her deeply shaken. “I've cried for days about this. It was such a horrible experience,” she admitted.
Carol expressed serious concerns about public safety at the site. “People need to be warned about this,” she insisted.
“I was lucky. I had help. But what if someone's on their own? What if a kid runs up to it?” she warned, urging parents to keep their children close and dog owners to avoid the water's edge.
Redcar and Cleveland Council has now secured the area with metal Heras Fencing and implemented 24-hour security to ensure public safety
Following Carol's ordeal, Redcar and Cleveland Council has implemented enhanced safety measures at the site.
Initially, plastic barriers were installed, but these were removed by unknown persons.
The council has now secured the area with metal Heras Fencing and implemented 24-hour security to ensure public safety.
A council spokesperson said: “We hope the woman affected makes a full recovery and we would like to thank the members of the public who came to her aid.”
The council urged residents to “please avoid the area around the hole for their own safety”.
