Leslie Kahn (61) was at the end of a swim in her backyard when the step ladder she used broke and ... there was no help in sight.

A 61-year-old woman stuck in a swimming pool was rescued by members of a Facebook community after she posted a help message on the social media network, according to a media report.

Leslie Kahn, from the US state of New Hampshire, was stuck in the pool last Friday. She was at the end of a swim in her backyard pool when the step ladder she used broke, the New York Daily reported. “She had no other way to hoist herself up and out of the water,” she said.

No neighbour nearby

Without neighbours within earshot or her cell phone, she could not call for help. Kahn struggled for nearly three hours before she used her swimming pool pole and technology to get help. She reached for the pole and used it to drag a chair, where her iPad sat, to where she could reach it.

She logged onto Facebook and posted an SOS message on the “Epping Squawks” group page.

The response was very quick

“I started off with 911 and an exclamation point,” Ms. Kahn said. “I wanted to get people’s attention fast.” Her virtual community responded within minutes.

One of Ms. Kahn’s neighbours who had read the post soon showed up in person. “I was really glad to see her friendly face, and I sent her inside for the toolbox,” Ms. Kahn said. She quickly updated her town’s Facebook page to let its 3,981 members know help had arrived.

Ms. Kahn, a breast cancer survivor, says her community’s reaction was encouraging. “You get through whatever life throws at you, and you ask for help,” she said.