LADDERS are to be installed at a Notts marina after a man who fell into the water had to be rescued by a canoeist.

Nottingham City Council has allocated £9,000 to install safety ladders at the pontoons of Colwick Park Marina. Work is expected to start this spring.

Councillor Dave Trimble, Nottingham City Council's portfolio holder for leisure, culture and tourism, said: "We have been discussing the installation of safety ladders with Colwick Park User Group, which includes the boat club, and looking at how these can be installed most effectively at the marina."

He said the work had involved research into other marinas across the UK.

"Over the past three months we have been looking at the equipment available and how safety ladders have been installed at other marinas to find the best option for Colwick Park Marina.

"The work to install safety ladders will begin as soon as possible this spring."

On Monday, a man nearly died after falling into icy waters at the marina.

Ken Jackson, 74, had been checking the chimney on his barge that afternoon when he slipped on ice and fell into the freezing water.

He was in the water for around 10 or 15 minutes before canoeist Richard Ramsdale rescued him.

Mr Ramsdale, 26, of West Bridgford, who works as a canoe slalom coach, said: "I was doing some canoe training on the water.

"I heard a gargling noise, and crossed about 200 metres from the south side of the water to the north side, where Mr Jackson was.

"I had to jump up on to the jetty and pull him out – it took about 10 or 15 minutes while I tried to get him out.

"He was becoming more and more unresponsive."

He then got Mr Jackson into some warm clothes and an ambulance was called, but the 74-year-old recovered well.

Mr Ramsdale said safety ladders could have helped in the incident.

"I think that in the situation on Monday, the ladder would have really helped, because it would have been an easy thing for Ken to climb out.

"But that doesn't mean it would definitely be the right solution for any situation like that."

One boat owner, who uses the marina but did not wish to be named, was told by the Post about the plans to introduce safety measures there, and broadly welcomed them.

"I think anything to do with safety is good, although I'm honestly not sure what could be done here.

"Maybe things like ladders or other equipment would help, but really the most important thing is your own behaviour."

He said there could be limits to how effective the ladders were.

"In the marina there may be people that can't swim, so if the ladder was too far away for someone to swim to, or someone wasn't physically able to swim that far, there could be problems.

"It's not an instant lifesaver. A marina is always a very, very dangerous place."