One of Bath’s most recognisable Big Issue sellers has become a hero after saving a six-year-old girl that had fallen into the river.
Istvan Kakas – http://www.bigissue.com/
Vendor Istvan Kakas used the broom he uses to sweep his riverside pitch to pull the young girl and her father from the River Avon near the railway station.
The trained chef, from Hungary, was on his pitch at Halfpenny Bridge on Sunday morning when he spotted the child who had fallen off her bike and into the river while cycling with her family.
The girl’s father had jumped in after her, but got caught in the current of the river. Kakas rushed down to the river bank and helped the pair from the water using his broom.
He said: “I just reacted. The girl’s dad had jumped in and they couldn’t get out so I grabbed the broom, ran over to the other side of the bridge and used it to pull them up. It all happened really quick.
“I was so scared for the poor girl, she looked in shock and her family were terrified. I’m just glad I could help. I would’ve jumped in myself if I couldn’t help with the broom.”
By the time the father and daughter had been rescued, an ambulance had arrived and the six-year-old was taken to the RUH for treatment.
Istvan said that he was shocked at the number of people filming the incident on their smartphones.
