A MAN was dragged out of the bitterly cold River Esk by a stranger after he got into trouble rescuing a friend’s puppy.

The 28-year-old found himself being dragged out into deep water after mistaking a ledge for the bottom of the river in Musselburgh on the afternoon of December 20.

He was saved after a man, passing with his wife, rushed to his aid, pulling him back onto the bank.

On Monday, the man, who does not want to be named, thanked his rescuer and admitted to the Courier: “If he hadn’t been there I might have died.” The drama unfolded shortly after lunchtime on Saturday when the man was walking with a friend and his puppy at the riverbank.

The young dog jumped into the water, but was unable to get back onto the bank.

The man said: “We were trying to coax the puppy back out of the water, but he was struggling and we could see he was starting to go under as he tired.

“I didn’t think – I just jumped in and managed to get him back onto dry land, but I didn’t realise I was standing on a ledge, the bottom of the river, and stepped back, falling into the deep water.

“I’m not a strong swimmer and could feel the current pulling me further away from the bank.

“If this man had not been there it could have gone very badly wrong, I might not have survived. He was incredible.” The drama unfolded at the river beside Loretto playing fields, just north of the New Street bridge.

The man and his friend had been taking the puppy for a walk when it leapt into the water unaware of the dangers.

He said: “When I realised the puppy was in trouble I just reacted, you don’t think about the dangers. It was only afterwards when I got home and had time to think that it dawned on me how lucky I was.

“I was struggling in the water and without this man’s help I could have been in real trouble very quickly. There weren’t a lot of people there at the time who saw what happened.

“This man reacted really quickly and his actions probably saved my life.” Now the 28-year-old wants to send a festive thank you to his good Samaritan, who did not even give him his name.

He said: “The man got me onto dry land and told me to go home and get out of my wet clothes, before walking on with his wife and their dog.

“I need to give him my thanks. Me and the puppy are absolutely fine and I am extremely grateful for his actions. I dread to think what might have happened had he not been there and come to my aid.”