THREE heroes saved a man who had plunged into a freezing canal.
The man was on a boat in the Calder and Hebble Canal at Brighouse Marina, but stumbled as he was getting on board after a night out and slipped into the water.
His wife rushed into the nearby Barge pub for help.
Three friends - Mark Wells, Tony Cash and Steve Thornton - raced to his aid.
Mark, 38, of Rastrick, said: "It was pitch black and we couldn't see the man until we were virtually on him.
"He was between the banking and the boat, clinging on to the boat. His feet were not touching the basin bottom and he was up to his shoulders in water."
The man is over 6ft tall and the friends knew they would have trouble hauling him out, so they phoned two more to help. Gary Heginbottom, who owns Artisan Fireplace Design in Brighouse - and Richard Tippey rushed to the scene.
Together the five put a rope under the man's arms and hauled him up the banking.
Just as he was saved, fire engines started to arrive at the scene.
The man was taken to Calderdale Royal Hospital for a check-up.
