Three-year-old rescued from pond

LUCKY ESCAPE: Emma O'Driscoll and her daughter, Crystal. In the background is the pond that the toddler fell into. Emma is extremely grateful to local man, Chris 'Kipper' O'Donovan for his role in the rescue. (Picture: John Ahern)

Three-year-old Crystal O’Driscoll was rescued from a pond located at the old army camp site in Fermoy where she was found stranded on a rock and up to her neck in water having chased after a ball.

Fermoy local, Chris O’Donovan who is well-known for his work with the Wheelyboat on the Blackwater, says he was simply ‘in the right place at the right time’ at about 12.30 on Tuesday when he spotted Crystal sitting on a rock in the middle of the pond. “It was lucky she had the presence of mind to stay on the rock,” he said.

“I took my dog for a walk and I got held up because I was on the phone with a friend of mine and I saw her sitting in the middle of the pond. I ran into the water and it was just below my waist, and she’s only three so it was up to her neck. It’s frightening really.

Full report in this week’s Print & Digital Edition