A SIX-YEAR-OLD boy was pulled alive from an icy Bolton river after being under the water for five minutes.

Connor Scott was dragged unconscious out of the River Tonge, off Tonge Bridge Way, by firefighters on Sunday afternoon. They saw his head below the surface after a desperate hunt to find him.

The schoolboy, who was not breathing when he was pulled out of the river, was resuscitated on the bank by the firefighters before paramedics arrived.

Fire chiefs said Connor, who was taken to hospital with hypothermia, was lucky to be alive.

Connor, of Hypatia Street, Tonge Fold, was playing with two young friends in brambles only yards from his home at 1.35pm when he slipped in some mud and fell into the water.

His two friends found sticks and tried to reach down the bank to help him, but the sticks kept breaking and the boys then ran to raise the alarm at nearby houses.

One of them, Tom Rhodes, aged seven, said: "It was frightening."

By the time residents arrived at the scene, Connor had disappeared below the surface.

Crews from Bolton Central Fire Station arrived within minutes but were unable to see where Connor was.

An inflatable boat based at Eccles Fire Station was called out, but Connor was found before it arrived. Firemen who ran along the bank spotted the top of his head in the water and dragged him out.

He was unconscious and firemen spent several minutes resuscitating him before paramedics arrived.

Connor was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital before being transferred to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital at Pendlebury, where he was put on a ventilator in the intensive care unit to help with his breathing.

On Sunday night doctors said Connor had started to breathe by himself and had talked to his family who were by his bedside.

David Rhodes, father of Connor's friend Tom, said: "The boys probably didn't even realise they were near the river because there were a lot of brambles down the bank. Connor slipped down the bank into the river.

Today police urged children not to play near rivers and other stretches of water.

Insp Tony Kenyon said: "This young boy is very lucky to be alive today and I would urge all children - and adults - to be aware of the dangers of playing near water.

"At this time of year, when rivers and lakes are very cold, spending any amount of time in the water can leave someone in serious danger.

"The fire service acted very quickly and professionally to avert what could have been a much more serious accident."