BOATER Barry Reed has been hailed a hero after a canal worker lost control of his quad bike and ended up plunging over the side of a lock in Devizes.

Mr Reed, who lives on the canal, says he heard the sound of the bike and ran along the canal path near Northgate Street and then jumped in to save the man who is believed to be in his 60s.

Mr Reed said: "It was lucky I was there. His family have been in touch to say they think if it hadn't been for me he might not have survived.

"I just acted instinctively as I have been trained as a commercial diver. I am happy he is making a full recovery and is still around to be a husband and a father."

Mr Reed jumped about 15ft into the lock which only had a few feet of water in the bottom of it. The quad bike rider, who works for the Canal and River Trust, was wearing a life jacket but he was floating face down in the water.

It is understood it was his first day working as a water way operative which is a season post with the trust.

Mr Reed said he managed to drag the man to the steps at the side of the lock and then with the help of another trust worker pull him to safety.

The drama was witnessed unfolding last Wednesday evening by Michael Wood, of Northgate Street, whose house overlooks the lock gate. He was doing the washing up and saw two canal workers on quad bikes just outside his kitchen window.

He said: "It was clear that one of the men was having problems with his quad bike. The other man came over and gave him some advice but then he just careered off. I couldn't believe it when he went over the edge. I went running out to see what I could do and then someone from a boat came along and went into the lock.

"I got a rope and the guy was pulled to the steps. Someone must have rung 999 as three ambulances and police arrived."

The man was taken to Royal United Hospital, Bath, to be checked over but was not detained.

A spokesman for the Canal and River Trust said: "We are just very grateful to the man who did the rescue. He was quite a hero. We will be looking into what happened and reviewing the situation."

Sgt Vince Logue of Devizes police said: "Barry was quite a hero. The outcome could have been much worse if he had not been there."