A LEIGH factory worker and a teenager were both hailed heroes after pulling a drowning woman out of the Leigh branch of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Leigh Bridge.

And after their mission of mercy the pair quietly left the scene and went to work.

Ian Jackson, 41, of Warrington Road, Butts Bridge, and David Brookes, 17, of Clarke Street, Leigh, dragged the woman onto the bank and restrained her while police and an ambulance arrived.

The incident happened at about 7.55am on Thursday when the woman, who was distraught, was spotted in the water by Mr. Jackson who was on his way to work at the nearby cable factory in West Bridgewater Street.

He jumped off his bike and grabbed hold of her and was joined seconds later by David, a former pupil of St Mary's High School, Astley, who was also on his way to work when he heard shouts for help.

Plasterer Paul Edwards, 27, of St Helens Road, phoned for an ambulance and arrived on the scene with a blanket while his colleague Bill Unsworth, 44, also of Clarke Street, stayed with the woman and helped restrain her.

Mr. Jackson's wife, Karen, commented: "I didn't even know that Ian had helped to save the woman from the canal until I got a phone call from his dad telling me. Ian is a very quiet man, very laid back, who doesn't like any fuss, but I was still shocked. He told me the woman was very distressed and he was just glad to help."

And David's mum, Sheila, 38, added: "I am very proud of the part that David had in saving this woman.

"After she was taken in the ambulance David went on to work at Kwik Save in Hindley Green and his boss didn't believe him when he told him why he was late! I am just glad he was there with the others to help this lady."

Bill Unsworth, an unemployed builder, said: "It was all one big coincidence really. I was doing Paul a favour by giving him a lift when I found I had a puncture. Only for that we wouldn't have heard the shouting from the canal."

Police are now recommending Ian and David for life-saving awards.

Supt Malcolm Howells said: "What they did was quietly heroic."

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