Two Durham Students Rescued From River In Which Three Have Drowned

    The incident at the weekend comes after three students drowned in the River Wear in the last year and a half. This post has been updated with the university's reaction.

    Two Durham students have been helped out of the River Wear after falling in during a night out in the city centre.

    Daniel Thompson and Olly Tims, who work on the door at the Boat Club bar, recounted to The Echo how they had helped the men.

    "I saw a pair of trainers go up in the area and back over a wall," Thompson said. "I thought: 'That's a student.'

    "I ran down the stairs and shouted to Olly and he followed. I expected to find one student, but there were two."

    The Echo said the students had fallen off a four-foot wall into the river. One of them was up to their waist in the water, but the river was over the head of the other.

    Thompson said he and Tims took the students into the VIP area in the bar and got them some dry clothing before an ambulance crew turned up.

    Police said neither of the students were injured, but both received fixed penalty notices for causing alarm to members of the public.

    BuzzFeed News has contacted Durham University for a statement on the incident.

    Durham University has now released a statement.

    A spokesperson said on Monday afternoon: "We take such matters very seriously and we are working closely with our partners through the City Safety Group on a number of safety initiatives.

    “In addition, we continue to remind students about their personal responsibilities and we have been emphasising three key messages:

    · If drinking, do so responsibly

    · Take safe routes home avoiding the river

    · Look after your friends and stick together walking home."