Boy, 9, drowns after plunging into dock

Published on Tuesday 4 June 2002 01:00

A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy has drowned in a River Clyde dock despite a massive rescue bid.

Reggie Broadfoot was playing with friends when he fell into the water at Rothesay Dock in Clydebank as darkness fell last night.

Within minutes of the alarm being raised a huge rescue operation was underway, involving boats, helicopters and road vehicles.

A police spokesman said: “It was one of the biggest rescue operations ever mounted, but unfortunately it was not successful.”

The incident happened at around 9.30pm yesterday.

A 13-year-old friend of Reggie shouted for help and a member of the public alerted the emergency services.

The boy was plucked from the river by a police diver just before 10pm.

He was treated by paramedics at the scene and then taken by ambulance to Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow, where he died a short time later.

His heartbroken mother today described her moments of anguish when her son’s friends told her her boy had drowned.

Elizabeth Broadfoot was at home when Reggie’s friends hammered on her door to tell her he had fallen into the dock.

Mrs Broadfoot, 34, said: “Reggie went out in his Celtic strip last night to play football in a park near our home.

“He was with his pals, all of them football daft. But after the game he must have wandered away with one of his pals and went to Rothesay Docks, which are next to the football ground.

“He had always been warned not to go near the water. I still don’t know what happened, only that he fell in. It is deep water and I am told he quickly disappeared.

“His pals came running across the road to my house. By the time I got to the docks with a neighbour police had recovered Reggie’s body from the water.”

She added: “I still can’t believe he has gone. He was a much-loved boy. He never caused any trouble and was popular with everyone.

“He left home happy, he was going to play football in his beloved Celtic strip.”

Family friends were today comforting Mrs Broadfoot, who is separated from her husband, and her other children, daughters Donna, 14, and 12-year-old Ellen and sons Billy, ten, and Andrew, four, at the family home in Clydeholm Terrace, Clydebank.

The lollipop lady at Reggie’s school, Our Holy Redeemer Primary, paid tribute to the boy.

“He was a lovely wee lad, always smiling. He will be sorely missed.”

A police spokesman said: “A member of the public phoned the ambulance service because a boy was in the water at the Rothesay docks at Clydebank.

“A police helicopter and a search and rescue helicopter went to the scene, along with other officers. The boy was taken to Yorkhill Hospital by ambulance where he was pronounced dead at 10.30pm.”

The rescue operation involved a Navy helicopter from Prestwick, which had been on a training exercise, the Strathclyde Police helicopter, the fire service road rescue unit and the fire service boat and Helensburgh in-shore lifeboats.

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Reggie’s death, which police are treating as a tragic accident. A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.