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Jack and the Beanstalk pantomime cast help rescue woman from river with rope used in show
Actors use rope - normally used to tie up Daisy the cow - as lifeline for 72-year-old until emergency crews arrive at Newport's Riverfront Theatre
Stars of a Jack and the Beanstalk pantomime came to the rescue of a woman stuck in a "bitterly cold" river - with the aid of a rope they use in the show.
The actors were at a rehearsal for the Christmas show at Newport's Riverfront Theatre when the alarm was raised after the woman was heard calling from the River Usk.
They, along with members of the pantomime production team, went to the aid of the 72-year-old. The cast used the rope, which is used to tie up Daisy the cow in the show, as a lifeline until emergency services arrived.
They first tied it to a rubber ring and threw it to the woman, but missed. Running along the riverside to keep up with her as she was swept away, they again threw the rope and the woman caught it - this time holding on until police turned up.
Jack, played by Gareth Tempest, and Jill, played by Elin Llwyd, who were in costume, ran to help the woman with company manager Jude Cound, lighting designer Chris Davies, sound designer Owen Davies, "giant" Jamie Anderson and costume head Lois Mordecai.
"We heard a howling noise and we thought it was teenagers messing around because it was not a scream but a howl," said 19-year-old Lois, from Bridgend.
"I said to Elin, 'I think there is something in the water.' The lady had a red body warmer on and we could see her lying in the water, but the howling was very loud.
"We tried to talk to her, but she was struggling to speak. The production manager got the rope, which is used for Daisy."
She added: "The river was going so fast that she started by the dressing room and ended up by the bridge by the time the police arrived.
"It's lucky the window was open and we went to it because otherwise she would have passed us and no one would have heard her."
Producer Ian Liston said: "The cast of the panto was outside, the actors were on the towpath in full costume. They all rushed out to see what they could do."
Police said the 72-year-old, from Newport, had been in the "bitterly cold" water for at least 15 minutes.
She was taken to Royal Gwent Hospital after police helped with the rescue by going into the river and using a buoy to drag her to safety.
Fire crews from Duffryn, Malpas and Maindee also helped with the rescue at around 8.30pm on Friday. It is not known how the woman ended up in the water.
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