I realise that there was an incident at Clayhanger Bridge yesterday afternoon (26th April 2011) that has caused some understandable gossip and rumour in the area. The good news is that, contrary to what you may have heard, nobody died. The bad news is that an elderly local chap was found in a very perilous condition, and only saved in the nick of time and revived by paramedics. He remains in a critical condition.

West Midlands Police issued a statement this morning, which I reproduce in full below. The Express & Star also reported this, but not apparently online; the item made the front page of the Walsall edition yesterday, but was so badly edited that it was rendered thoroughly confusing and almost totally meaningless.

If you know anything about this incident, please do contact the police, they’re interested in how this fellow came to be in such a serious predicament, which was so very nearly fatal. They had this to say:

Appeal After Man Is Found In Brownhills Canal
27 April 2011

Walsall police are appealing for any witnesses after an elderly man was pulled from the canal in Clayhanger, Brownhills yesterday.

The man, aged 80, was spotted in the Daw End Branch Canal in Clayhanger Road around 4pm. He was pulled from the canal and is currently in a critical condition in hospital.

The man has been identified as an 80 year old local man.

DS Andy Sheldon said:”We would like to hear from anyone who was in the Clayhanger area yesterday afternoon, who may have seen the elderly gentleman near the canal and can tell us exactly how he ended up in the water. He is a white man and was wearing a blue and white shirt, blue cardi, dark trousers and slippers.

Anyone with information should call police at Force CID , Bloxwich on 0345 113 5000

Edit 11:04 28th April 2011: sadly, the gentleman in question has passed away in hospital. Police are not treating the death as suspicious. My condolences to the bereaved.