THE mother of a 10-year-old boy who was swept away in a fast-flowing river has thanked their rescuers and the community for their kindness.

Last Wednesday, Aziza Aljahwari was visiting the Rheidol river in Aberystwyth with her friend and three of her six children when the drama unfolded.

Aziza’s 10-year-old son, Ali, went into the water to retrieve his six-year-old brother’s small toy boat, but he was swept away by the “fast-flowing” water.

The frantic mum went into the river to try to rescue her son, but they were both taken downstream. Emergency services were called to the Penybont bridge near Blaendolau playing fields and a “large multi-agency operation” ensued to try to find and rescue the pair.

Police, coastguard, firefighters, ambulance and air ambulance crew attended the incident, that happened at around lunchtime.

Using a rescue sled, throw bags and a floating line, the pair were brought to safety and taken to hospital.

Aziza praised the kindness of the emergency services and the community. “We feel everybody in Aberystwyth is as one family. It’s a very good place to live, Aberystwyth, I am very happy to live here,” she said.

Aziza, her husband Jamal and their children moved from Oman to Aberystwyth five years ago for Jamal to study a PhD at the town’s university.

Aziza said the emergency services went above and beyond to help them in their hour of need.

She said: “They were very helpful; more than very helpful. What touched my heart was their kindness.

“Also the staff at Bronglais Hospital – they were also very kind and helpful.

“I was also surprised about the lifeboat, as it is a charity; before I didn’t know that. As a charity, that volunteers are doing this for people, is a very big thing.”

Aziza later visited the Aberystwyth lifeboat station to say thank you.

A spokesperson for Aberystwyth RNLI said: “We don’t often get to meet the people involved in searches and rescues after the event, so it was nice to see and hear that Aziza and her son were safe and well after their ordeal.

“It was a large multi-agency operation and although we only played a small part in the search, the donation and cakes were gratefully received by the volunteer crew.

“It was such a nice thing for them to do, thinking of others after what they had been through.”

In a thank-you letter published on social media, Aziza spoke of the “small unseen moments” of kindness.

She wrote: “When the fireman tried to break the branches from trees, until blood came out of his hand but he didn’t complain or show a sign, he did all that just to make sure that I walked safely.

“When we finally reached safety he kneeled down to speak to Ali and tried to comfort him and cheer him up.

“Or the firefighter who took his jacket off and put it on the ground to protect our feet from the cold.

“Or when a man saw us shivering and quickly asked the helicopter to drop us a blanket and a mat.”

An “excited” Ali has also had many well-wishes from the community, including from his friends, teachers and headteacher at his school, Ysgol Plascrug.

Following the family’s lucky escape, head of community safety at Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Karen Jones, issued a warning to the public to be aware of the “grave dangers associated with swimming or paddling in open bodies of water that are not monitored by lifeguards”.