Rescue for woman who fell in Worcestershire well

A woman who fell 30ft (9m) into a well in Worcestershire and clung to a rope for 90 minutes until she was rescued has spoken of her ordeal.

Denise Brooks, 65, who cannot swim, was trying to free a water pump at the 400-year-old well when she slipped.
Mrs Brooks, from Abbots Morton, said she was up to her neck in water and could not touch the bottom of the well.
She was eventually winched up by fire crews. Paramedics said she appeared to be none the worse for the experience.
Mrs Brooks and her husband Mike had been pumping water from the well to a duck pond when the pump became stuck under the water.
Mr Brooks said in the past when that had happened the couple had lowered a ladder down the well and Mrs Brooks would climb down and prod the pump with a pole.

I cannot tell you how pleased I was to see a firefighter being lowered down the well coming to rescue me”

Denise Brooks

"The well has been here for around 400 years so we aren't exactly sure what is under the water," he said.

Unfortunately, Mrs Brooks slipped as she climbed down the ladder, which is not long enough to reach the water.
She said it was very frightening.
"I can't swim but managed to grab on to the rope to keep myself afloat.
"After a few minutes I managed to calm myself down and wedged myself against the wall and felt comfortable, but it was really cold."
She added that she was glad the rope was there, otherwise she did not know what might have happened.
"I cannot tell you how pleased I was to see a firefighter being lowered down the well coming to rescue me."
The couple said they keep a metal grid on top of the well to make sure no-one falls in.
Midlands Air Ambulance and specialist search-and-rescue teams were sent to help shortly before 16:00 BST on Monday.