Three quick-thinking police officers have helped save the life of a 50-year-old woman who fell into the canal in Skipton.

The alarm was raised at about 7pm on Saturday by a 17-year-old girl, who had helped the woman out of the water, only for her to fall back in.

Police said this week the girl was walking along the canal when she came across the woman in the water. She helped her climb out and the woman returned to a boat moored nearby.

Unfortunately she fell into the canal again from the deck and did not re-surface.

At this point the girl called for help. Three police officers from Skipton were quickly on the scene.

PC Andy Woolley jumped into the canal and, using a rope, brought the woman to the surface, but she was not breathing. Sergeant Paul Evans and PC Andy Bell administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before the woman, who lives locally, was taken to Airedale Hospital by road ambulance.

She was in a critical condition although she had shown signs of slight improvement.

Chief Inspector Barry Smith, of the Craven Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “I’m very proud of my officers’ actions. They have displayed a great deal of bravery and quick thinking and undoubtedly helped to save the woman’s life.

“The canal contains hidden dangers and, by jumping in, the officer put his own life in danger. They are a credit to North Yorkshire Police and we can all be proud of them. “I would also like to thank the young girl who called for help. It was a distressing incident for her to witness as I understand she had spoken with the woman and helped her out of the canal previously.

“She did the absolute right thing in calling for help when she did.”

A spokesman for Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: “The patient was unconscious and not breathing and police officers at the scene had begun basic life support and were administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

“Ambulance clinicians were deployed to the scene immediately and arrived just over 10 minutes later.

“They took over from the police officers, treating and stabilising the patient before taking her to Airedale General Hospital.

“We know that, in many medical emergencies, the first few minutes are critical and the intervention of the police officers at this incident is likely to have helped save the patient’s life.”