Inquest told of 'unbearable tragedy' as Dylan Milsom drowned in Kennet and Avon Canal at Newbury
A MOTHER has recounted her anguish as she tried to save her drowning son from a Newbury weir.
Three-year-old Dylan Milsom tripped on a tuft of grass and fell into the Kennet and Avon Canal at Victoria Park on Saturday, March 13.
His grandmother made a grab for him as he slipped beneath the water, but his hair slipped through her fingers.
Assistant Berkshire coroner Ian Wade QC described the incident as "extraordinarily tragic" at the hearing in Reading Town Hall this afternoon (Tuesday).
Dylan's mother, Shelley Nardini, said she had brought Dylan and his one-year-old brother, Toby, to feed the ducks with their grandmother, Jackie Arrowsmith.
After taking happy family photographs as they picnicked, the foursome went to feed the ducks.
But Dylan's attempt to throw bread was thwarted by the railings near the weir, the inquest heard.
Mrs Arrowsmith said in a statement: "He then went in front of the railings and tripped over a large tuft of grass, falling in. I threw myself to the floor and grabbed out at Dylan.
"I caught the top of his hair but couldn't get hold of anything else. Shelley shouted: 'Where is he?' and I said: 'He's in the water.'"
Mrs Nardini recounted how she leaped in as Dylan was swept away and was sucked down by the weir current.
Mr Wade said Mrs Nardini also got sucked under and was swept through the weir.
As the current swept her downstream on the other side Mrs Nardini managed to grab hold of a branch.
Mr Wade said: "She says she blames herself and thinks she should have tried harder to find Dylan.
"I do hope she has abandoned that particular idea. She can't possibly blame herself."
Passers-by raced to Mrs Nardini's aid, throwing a rope and bouyancy aids, while others searched the waters frantically for Dylan.
Police soon arrived on the scene and began searching for the boy.
Pc Evan Pengliss said that 50m downstream there was a branch overhanging the water, where debris had accumulated.
He saw a flash of blue clothing and jumped in, pulling Dylan out and immediately beginning resuscitation attempts.
He said: "I could see he was unconscious and not breathing."
Soon he was joined by paramedics who continued the attempt.
Dylan was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford but was pronounced dead.
Summing up, Mr Wade described the case as "extraordinarily tragic" and said: "Dylan loved to feed the ducks, as do all small boys.
"We all do what we can to encourage youngsters to engage with nature.
"But sometimes things go wrong. Shelley turned her head for a millisecond when Dylan, in his excited state, tripped over a tuft of grass and fell into the water.
"His grandmother grabbed his hair as hard as she could but couldn't hold on to him."
She also had Toby in his pushchair to watch over, said Mr Wade.
He added: "These are dangerous waters and Dylan was swept away.
"He never resurfaced until he was found by a police officer under the surface.
"This was nobody's fault.
"It is an unbearable tragedy. I only hope that his family can, one day, forget this day and remember the lively, attractive Dylan he was before it."
Mr Wade formally recorded a verdict of accidental death.
