A Perth man has been hailed a hero after he swam into a frozen duck pond to rescue a terrified dog trapped under the ice.
Fearless Jim Sinclair went into the freezing water at South Inch after hearing desperate screams from the pet’s owner.
Excited Shih Tzu Benji had fallen into the pond while chasing ducks during his morning stroll.
Mr Sinclair, 52, said he rushed over to the pond as little Benji vanished under the ice.
“I saw the bubbles coming up,” he said. “Some men standing nearby were just watching, saying ‘that dog’s finished’. I was like, no he’s not.”
Mr Sinclair found a large boulder and used it to smash through the ice. He then waded into the waist-high water and walked about 12ft to the stricken dog.
He bundled Benji up and carried him back to distraught owner Joan Murphy, 73.
Mr Sinclair, who runs his own business J S Glazing, said: “I just did what any other dog lover would do.
“I had been walking my own dog when I heard shouts coming from the pond. I could see the dog in the water, about 50ft out, but I thought it was a bird. When I got a bit closer I could see what was going on.”
He said: “I was fine afterwards, but my trousers froze solid as I was walking away. I just went home, got changed and went off to work.”
Ms Murphy said she would always be grateful to Mr Sinclair for saving the day.
“It was just horrible, really horrible,” she said.
“Me and Benji go out and feed the ducks every morning and he never bothers them.
“But this morning, he was so excited to see the snow. He’s only a year-and-a-half, so he’s not really used to this weather.”
She said: “I was throwing the seeds to the ducks and the next thing I know he was running about on the ice.
“I was shouting to him, trying to entice him back with titbits, but he wasn’t interested. He was too busy chasing the ducks.
“Then I saw him go into the water and I just started screaming and screaming.”
Retired care worker Ms Murphy said Benji went under the water twice. “I completely lost it,” she said.
“But this man ran across. I saw him go off and then come back with a massive boulder.
“He threw it as far as he could to where Benji was. It shattered the ice, but then I saw Benji go under again.
“This man just went forward and waded in. He was absolutely soaking wet when he came out, so he must have been frozen. I don’t know how to thank him enough, I would just be lost without Benji.”
She said she took off her coat and wrapped it round her dog before walking home.
“He was shivering when he got back, but he’s doing fine now. I think he’s forgotten about it,” she said.
“But that’s definitely the last time he gets let off the lead.”
