Two teenage girls had to be rescued from a north Cumbrian river by firefighters.
The girls had spent the evening cooling off in the river at Wetheral, but had become stuck on an island at the far side.
The fire service was called out at about 6.50pm last night.
Specialist swift water rescue technicians from Carlisle East Fire Station waded out to the girls and brought them to the riverbank using an inflatable raft.
The incident prompted a warning from the fire service.
Carlisle East Fire Station said: “It might seem a good idea to cool off in the river during sunny weather, but our waterways are extremely dangerous places.
“Please do not enter the water if you are unsure how deep it is, how fast it is flowing, unsure of the underwater features, or if you are not a strong swimmer.
“This incident could have been avoided.”
The crew added that during the incident, their fire engine was blocked in on a narrow road, thanks to a ‘poorly parked’ car.
Carlisle East Fire Station added: “Please could we ask the public to ensure that when you are parking vehicles, always ensure that you are leaving plenty of space for emergency service vehicles to pass.
“Fortunately this did not affect the outcome of this incident.”
