A COURAGEOUS Greenock man is being nominated for a police bravery award after saving the life of a man who was floating face down in the River Clyde.

Alistair Morrison, 51, was walking with his dog on the Esplanade as darkness was descending when he heard girls screaming and saw them throwing a lifebelt into the river.

He ran up to the spot, at the foot of Margaret Street, and saw the man in the water.

Alistair rushed down the slippery steps into the river and ran in up to above his waist to grab the man, helped by another local man, Nigel Morrison, who is no relation.

As they got back to the steps they were assisted by Claire Mitchell, 29, of Greenock who had followed the pair down and was up to her knees in the water.

Alistair said: “I thought at first the man might be dead, because there was no reaction when I pulled his head up out of the water.

“I tapped his face, but there was nothing.

“Then when we got him to the steps I tapped his head again and he came around.

“I was really relieved.”

The incident was witnessed by Alistair’s wife, Amanda, who was sitting in their parked car on the Esplanade.

She saw him sprinting for the steps and disappearing down them.

Alistair said: “I didn’t have time to think. Your reaction takes over and you just get on with it.

“Amanda was waiting in the car while I went for a walk with our Shih Tzu, Dougal, who tried to get down the stairs after me.

“Another person grabbed Dougal to stop him, and then Amanda came running over.

“It was all quite frantic, and a struggle getting the man up the slippy stairs because they were covered with seaweed.

“Someone had phoned for the police and an ambulance, who took over and took care of the man.

“I’ve never been in a situation like that before.”

Modest Alistair was keen to stress that he ‘only played a part’ in saving the man’s life.

He said: “There were other people involved, too.

“I’m not a hero.”

Alistair of Auchneagh Crescent is a plasterer with River Clyde Homes, and Amanda works at Cigna and the couple have two grown-up sons.

Fellow rescuer Claire, a physiotherapist, said she was walking along the Esplanade with her mum, Jean, when they saw the commotion.

She told the Tele: “We ran over and saw the man in the water.

“I went down the stairs into the water and helped to get the man up on to the Esplanade.

“He had been floating about a metre away from the side.

“We were in shock afterwards.”

The 47-year-old man was taken to hospital, but has now recovered following the incident which happened at 8.40pm on Thursday.

Sergeant Kayley Teasdale of Greenock police said: “A man entered the water at the Esplanade and got into difficulty.

“Two men entered the water to effect a rescue, and the man was subsequently pulled to safety.

“A mother and daughter were also on the Esplanade and gave assistance, calling the coastguard, throwing a lifebelt into the water and providing first aid when the man was out of the water.

“The quick-thinking, selfless and compassionate actions taken by this group of people ensured the safety and wellbeing of the man involved.”

Sgt Teasdale added: “Alistair will be nominated for a Divisional Bravery Award to recognise his heroism.”