David Butler - Dog Rescue

Dog rescue - RSPCA Award

CAMERAS DIALOGUE SOUND

EAMONN:

137 2 WE KNOW, MARILYN, OFTEN HAD CAUSE TO FEEL VERY PROUD OF DAVID BUT SHE MUST HAVE HAD A SPECIAL THRILL ON THE MORNING IN DECEMBER, 1961, THAT SHE PICKS UP THE PAPER TO SEE THESE HEADLINES.

138 4 STILL: DOG RESCUE STORY

STILL: NEWSPAPER HEADLINE

EAMONN:

AND THAT WAS A STORY THAT BEGAN WITH A KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND A VOICE THAT SHOUTED

FROST (O.S.) O.S.MIC.

CAN YOU LEND US A LADDER DAVID?

EAMONN:

THE VOICE OF YOUR FRIEND AND NEIGHBOUR .... AND NOW COMPANION IN AN ICY RESCUE BID?

ALAN FROST.

ENTRANCE AND GREETING

EAMONN:

DAVID HAD JUST RETURNED FROM MARILYN`S HOME WHEN HE HEARD YOUR SHOUT. A DOG, A BROWN MONGREL, WAS STRUGGLING FOR LIFE ....TRAPPED IN A HOLE IN THE ICE THAT

COVERED THE GRAND UNION CANAL. THAT`S RIGHT ISN`T IT?

FROST:

YES, WE WANTED THE LADDER TO PUSH OUT TO THE DOG, AND GIVE IT SOMETHING TO HOLD ON TO.

EAMONN:

BUT DAVID WASN`T CONTENT WITH MERELY BRINGING THE LADDER?

FROST:

NO, HE INSISTED ON BRINGING HIMSELF ALONG TOO.

EAMONN:

RESCUERS WERE ALREADY ON THE SCENE BUT THEY WERE IN DIFFICULTIES. THE THIN ICE WAS CRACKING BENEATH THEIR WEIGHT. BUT DAVID? I HEAR, THOUGHT THAT HE COULD BE OF ASSISTANCE.

THAT THE JOB CALLED FOR HIM ... SOMEONE YOUNG AND LIGHT. HE DIDN`T HESITATE FOR A MOMENT?

FROST:

NOT FOR A MOMENT. I HELPED HIM CLIMB DOWN THE EMBANKMENT AND HE STARTED TO CROSS THE ICE.

EAMONN: BUT HOW COULD HE BALANCE ON THOSE STEEL LEGS OF HIS?

FROST:

HE COULDN`T BUT THAT DIDN`T STOP HIM. HE CRAWLED ... ON HIS STOMACH .... FOR THIRTY FEET. HE REACHED THE DOG AND GRASPED IT BY THE FUR. AND THEN, AS HE STARTED TO RETURN, THE ICE BEGAN TO CRACK.

EAMONN:

IN FACT, AS WE KNOW, HE WAS PLUNGED INTO THE WATER AND YOU, ALSO DRENCHED, HELPED DRAG HIM TO SAFETY. YOU WERE BOTH HALF FROZEN WITH COLD BUT HE STILL HELD ON TO THE DOG.

FROST: THAT`S RIGHT, HE STILL HELD ON. THE DOG WAS FIRMLY CLUTCHED IN HIS ARMS. DAVID NEVER LET GO.

EAMONN: THANK YOU, ALAN FROST.

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