Carnmoney man in dramatic castle rescue

A Carnmoney man dramatically rescued two children from a ledge at the rear of Carrick Castle in the spring of 1968.

The boys, aged 11 and nine, fromCarrickfergus, had become trapped by a rising tide.

Carnmoney man William Gregg, a boatman, at Carrick Harbour, tied himself to a rope and was lowered down the 40 ft castle wall by police.

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He tied the boys to the end of the rope and they were winched to safety, escaping injury.

The 32-year-old potato merchant, from Carnview Park, had been visiting Carrick with his children.

He said: “I was down pumping out my boat in Carrick Harbour with my two sons when I saw a policeman running around the rocks.

“I asked what was wrong and he told me that there were a couple of boys stranded on the rocks.

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“I said I would go down on a rope and get them up. I never thought about the wind and waves. All I thoought about was getting them up over the castle wall.”

William went on to say that he and his family had been involved in a sea drama previously when his motor cruiser had capsized off Muck Island, near Islandmagee.

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