UK Edition
Man who pulled his mother and pet dog from sinking canal boat drowns 'after going back for a bag of cash'
A man in his 40s drowned after rescuing his elderly mother and pet dog when his narrowboat sank.
Friends say Alan Green was trying to retrieve a bag containing a large amount of cash when he got trapped in the boat as it went through a lock.
The alarm was raised just after 11.20am on Monday and rescue teams dashed to lock five on the Droitwich Junction Canal in Worcestershire.
Emergency services drained the lock before firefighters boarded the narrowboat, called Sandscout. Mr Green was dragged out but, after medics attempted CPR, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police confirmed another woman and man who had managed to get off the boat received "precautionary treatment".
It emerged on Tuesday Mr Green had gone back onto the sinking narrowboat to retrieve a large amount of cash.
One woman, who came to lay flowers at the scene of the tragedy, said: "They were off to buy a new boat and therefore were carrying a lot of cash.
"But after the boat started to sink he climbed back aboard to retrieve the cash and obviously couldn't get off. I don't know who they are but it is a tragedy and a real loss to the boating community."
Friends of Mr Green also told how he rescued his mother and dog before climbing back onto the boat to try and salvage his treasured belongings.
James Cowlishaw, 69, desperately tried to save Mr Green after spotting the boat sinking as it went through the lock.
The volunteer lock keeper said: "Earlier in the day he went past on his boat, we passed the time of day and he went off into the distance and we caught him up in those terrible circumstances.
"There was an air gap at the top but we had no response when we were knocking the top of the boat which was worrying.
"I tried to get in the front but it was rammed with bedding and furniture which was floating about in there.
"The emergency services took over and eventually found him. We can't understand how he got in the trouble he did."
Mr Cowlishaw said Mr Green was a well known member of the canal community. Another eyewitness told how he called for an ambulance after seeing the boat "right at the bottom of the lock".
He added: "There were two people on it, one at the front and one at the back. They were trying to fight their way through the debris which was floating around in the boat.
"There was nothing I could do really."
Boaters at the nearby Droitwich Spa Marina also expressed their shock at the tragic death.
Pictures taken at the scene show the green and red narrowboat partly underneath the water line at the bottom of the narrow lock.
Debris can be seen floating in the canal while a pile of sodden-looking possessions have been left in a pile on the bank next to the lock.
A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: "Ambulance crew provided treatment, however the man in his 40s sadly died at the scene.
"Another man and a woman who were also on the boat received precautionary treatment. The man's next of kin have been informed."
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "The lock was drained and firefighters went on board the narrowboat.
"They brought the man out and advanced life support was carried out by ambulance staff, but sadly it was not possible to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene.
"An elderly woman who had managed to get off the narrow boat was assessed by ambulance staff but was found to be uninjured and was left with police officers."
A spokesman for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, which sent crews from Droitwich, Malvern and Evesham, added: "On arrival crews discovered a boat submerged in the water with reports of a casualty still on board.
"Fire crews entered the water and rescued a male in his 40s.
"Fire and ambulance crews attempted resuscitation however in spite of their best efforts they were unable to save his life."
The Canal and River Trust said they were hoping to open the junction on Tuesday and are working with contractors to clear the locks.
A spokesman added: "Incidents like this are rare, and while there's no indication there's a problem with the canal, we'll be looking at whether there's anything we can do to prevent this kind of thing happening again in future.
The Droitwich Junction Canal, which is off the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, reopened in 2011 and flows through the spa town of Droitwich, Worcs.
It was originally constructed in 1854 to link the town's Barge Canal with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal and is now thickly lined with trees and hedges
The narrow waterway was also one of the last canals to be built in England and included innovations such as water-conserving side ponds.