Riflemen Jay Pond and Dan McCraig from 1Rifles in Beachley were the heroes of the day last Monday (22nd April) when they rescued a woman from danger on the riverbank.

A woman of 84 was reported missing from Newport at 8.10pm. No-one knows exactly how long the woman had been missing but it is understood that she took a bus to Chepstow or Beachley and, on arrival, had wandered down to the river.

Nearing the water's edge, the woman had fallen down a two foot ledge and become trapped.

It isn't known how long the woman was stranded but at 8.50pm Gwent Police received a call from a member of the public who had seen the woman from the bridge and was concerned for her safety due to the rising tide.

Even though she seemed to be above the water line the stretch of beach and bog underneath the bridge is treacherous.

In the light of this patch of ground belonging to the Ministry of Defence, Gloucestershire police called the guardroom at Beachley barracks and asked them, as the nearest to the incident, to attend.

Some minutes later, the riflemen arrived and discovered the lady, helping her to safety and taking her back to the guardroom, from where an ambulance took her to hospital.

After gentle questioning it was discovered that the woman was suffering from mild hypothermia, confusion and shock.

Constables from Gwent and Gloucestershire police were in attendance.

"Under the bridge is a dangerous spot," said Rifleman Pond, "it's a good job someone saw her and we were able to get her out because she seemed dazed, confused and in shock."

No name was given for the lady, who is believed to be fully recovered.

The stretch of river around Beachley is notoriously dangerous, with SARA (Severn Area Rescue Association) being regularly called out for people stranded on the mud flats, it being an extremely tidal part of the river.