A MOTHER who jumped in the river to save her baby has come face to face with one of the heroic members of public who helped rescue the pair.

Lisa Gauler presented Canadian Kathryn Knox with a bunch of flowers as a thank you when they met yesterday.

"It was so nice meeting her," said Mrs Gauler, of Wyld's Lane, Worcester. "I just wanted to say thank you to her. I rang Ben Reynolds last night to say thank you to him too and I also really want to say thank you to all the members of public and paramedics who helped us."

Miss Knox was sight-seeing in Worcester with a friend when they saw Mrs Gauler jump into the river Severn to save her 17-month-old daughter Evie, who had fallen in while feeding the swans at Worcester's South Quay on Tuesday.

Miss Knox, a student and part-time lifeguard in the city of Vancouver where she lives, climbed down the 10 foot ladder on the side of the river and cleared away nettles in an effort to reach the pair.

"I climbed down as we were going to try and get her to the ladder and get them both out of the water, but luckily the boat came along with Ben Reynolds on board and I was able to jump on and help that way," said the 23-year-old.

Miss Knox, who was also visiting her aunt, added: "She seemed to be very calm in the water and was managing to keep both their heads out of the water and I could hear her singing to the baby to try to stop her crying."

Miss Knox's aunt Sue Ardent said: "I think it was a case of them being at the right place at the right time to help."

Meanwhile, concerns about safety at Worcester's South Quay were raised with council officials just two weeks before the accident, it has been revealed.

The husband of the friend Mrs Gauler was with at the time of the incident had contacted Worcester City Council saying he was worried about the lack of safety railings at the site.

Mrs Gauler said: "We have since spoken to the council and they said they are looking into it. What happened to us was an accident but it needs to be addressed."

Members of the city council are currently assessing the incident to decide what further action to take.

John Scarborough, head of governance and corporate support at the council, said he was unaware of the concerns raised two weeks earlier.

A concerned Worcester resident who watched the drama unfold has started a campaign to get railings put up at the site.

Father-of-one Glenn James, of St John's, said he was starting a petition to get the council to make the area safer. To sign his petition, e-mail him on wilkiebart@yahoo.co.uk.