Puppy nearly drowns in a Preston canal after mistaking polluted swamp for grass

Rob Leach was taking six-month old Kobi for a walk along the Ashton section of the Lancaster canal when the incident happened.

He told how the pup was playfully running along the canal bank but then darted suddenly to the side and disappeared under the water.

Quick-thinking Rob dashed over and managed to drag the confused canine out of canal to safety.

He said: "I was walking my dog next to the canal in Ashton, near the lock further down.

"There was an empty bottle on top of the canal and, with all the grass, he’s obviously thought jumping in expecting it to be grass and he fell straight through.

“If I wasn’t there he would have been dead. I had to run up to him and take out all the items in my pockets quickly and lean in and grab him.”

He added: “He’s only six month’s old and it’s the first time he has ever been in water.

"If I wasn’t there with him he would have drowned.

"He’s lucky to be alive.”

The Canal and River Trust said they were aware of the problem and that Weevils (beetles) had now been deployed to feed on the foliage in the hope of removing it.

A Trust spokesperson said: “The Lancaster canal faces several vegetation issues which we manage using different techniques.

"We use a special weed cutting boat the Truxor regularly to manage the different types of aquatic and marginal vegetation on the canal.

"As a charity we are restricted in how much budget and resource we can allocate per year.

"The canal is currently covered in some parts, with a small green plant called water fern (Azolla filculoides) an invasive non-native species native to the Americans which has unfortunately spread worldwide.

"Trust ecologists are aware of the problem and will be employing the usual control methods to try and remove it.

"This involves a biocontrol agent - a Weevil that eats the plant. As with all-natural vegetation management, solutions are often not quick and easy.”