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Sea drama phone rescue
A STRICKEN fisherman who capsized at sea was rescued after he managed to ring his wife from his mobile phone as he battled for life in the icy seas.
With amazing foresight, Mike Potts had kept his mobile in a 1 plastic bag and he was able to retrieve it from his jacket pocket as he bobbed about in the waves a mile off the coast.
Experienced angler Mike, 47, capsized in a freak accident on Saturday lunchtime after his rucksack got tangled up in his kayak, causing him to flip over.
As he clung onto the kayak to stay afloat, Mike remembered his phone and made a desperate call to his wife Lesley, 48, an auction administrator at Sandersons Auctions.
She then alerted the coastguard, and a rescue mission involving RNLI lifeboat crews and the RAF Sea King helicopter was launched.
Mike is no stranger to angling mishaps at Steetley Pier, and previously appeared in the Mail in November 2008 after his dog Jazz jumped 20ft into the sea.
Amazingly the 14-year-old springer spaniel, who has since died, turned up in a farmer's field more than two miles away in Hart Village about 12 hours later.
Relieved Mike said: "I was well prepared to go fishing, the only thing I hadn't prepared for was falling into the water.
"My family have warned me to stay away from the pier, it certainly hasn't brought me the best of luck."
Mike was in the water a mile off Steetley pier for about 20 minutes before lifeboat crews plucked him from the waves.
Mike, a sales manager who lives in Gower Walk, said: "My bag, which contained all my fishing gear, became tangled behind me but as I tried to free it, the kayak capsized.
"The water was pretty cold and it came as a shock. But I gathered my thoughts and managed to phone my wife and then the coastguard, as my mobile phone was in a plastic wallet in my pocket.
"The water was pretty choppy and I was clinging to the side of the kayak for probably a further 10 minutes before I was rescued.
"I would like to thank the lifeboat crews, they are the type of people that you hope never to meet but when you do, they can't do enough. I am very grateful."
Hartlepool RNLI's operations manager Mike Craddy said: "It was a very quick response by our volunteer crew, and they managed to get to the casualty rapidly and help prevent what could have been a far more serious incident."
After being given the all-clear by paramedics, Mike was picked up by Lesley who said: "It was really scary when I got the phone call from him and I just couldn't believe it.
"That plastic bag has saved his life. I honestly thought I was going to lose him."
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Weather for Hartlepool
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
