Mystery man saves 'lifeless' baby from drowning Published duration 3 October 2013

image caption Beckie Thompson said she owes her baby's life to the man

image caption People watching said Imogen was under the water for over four minutes

image caption Miss Thompson said she lost control of her car when she swerved to avoid a van

A mother wants to thank the unknown passer-by who saved her four-month-old girl from drowning.

Imogen was submerged in water for several minutes when her mother's car overturned and plunged into a ditch in Gosberton, Lincolnshire.

Imogen was "blue and lifeless" when her mother Beckie Thompson pulled her out of the car.

But a man fought through his own tears as he resuscitated Imogen, who eventually started breathing again.

Miss Thompson, 21, said she was "hysterical" after pulling Imogen out of the car and passing her to a woman who had stopped to help.

image caption Imogen has made a full recovery

"She laid her on the riverbank, and a lad, luckily, just laid her out and started doing CPR," said Miss Thompson.

"He was crying, he was very upset. To be honest I don't think anybody expected her to wake up."

Despite this, she said the man continued to try for "a good two or three minutes".

'Four minutes underwater'

"Then she [Imogen] made a noise, and then he started to cry a little bit more, but kept going until she was screaming," said Miss Thompson, from Quadring.

"The emergency services told the lady that was on the phone, if she's crying that's the best sign that she can give."

People watching what happened said Imogen had been under the water for more than four minutes.

The emergency services arrived and Imogen was airlifted to hospital, but the man left before Miss Thompson could thank him.

"He's left no information or anything with the police or anything, so I just want him to know that he did save her life, and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have a little girl any more," said Miss Thompson.

"I owe her life to him, so I am really, really grateful."

Miss Thompson, a trainee nurse, had been driving Imogen to nursery when the accident happened near the junction of Sweetlands Way and Station Road, at about 10:50 BST on 17 September.

She said she lost control of her car when she swerved to avoid a van.