Dramatic rescue in the canal lock

Local resident, Geoffrey successfully completed a dramatic rescue this week after a big gust of wind swept his son's hat into the canal lock in Slaithwaite centre. Nath, 20 months, was balancing on a bollard by the lock (securely tethered to his dad) and his favourite hat was whisked off his head and landed some 16ft down in the lock. They both watched intently as the blue cotton hat was slowly blown along by the lock wall and were disappointed when it eventually sank beneath the water.
Undaunted he, went home and returned with a set of chimney sweep poles, a length of stiff wire, some rope and sticky tape. He cunningly fashioned a three pronged 'hat catcher' on the end of the pole and patiently swept the canal bottom in the vicinity of the last sighting of the childs hat. On the fifth pass, the headgear was brought to the surface on the end of the 20ft stick and after a wash and dry, was reunited with it gleeful owner. The only disappointment, according to Geoffrey, was that there was no one on the lockside to photograph the event!