A TEENAGE girl who fell from a multi-storey car park had been praised by a coroner two years ago after making a despairing bid to save her younger brother from drowning in a tragic accident

Sarah Brooks, aged 17, suffered broken feet, legs and pelvis after she fell from the ninth level of the Bow Street car park on Wednesday.

Her brother Jamie was 10 when he drowned in a lodge off Waters Meeting Road, Astley Bridge, in May 1999.

It was said at the inquest into his death that Sarah found it difficult to cope with her brother's death.

Sarah, who was 15 at the time, had bravely tried to keep hold of him after he fell into the water but he sank to the bottom.

Jamie had been chasing a newt and was in the water just past his shins when he plunged off a steep underwater shelf.

As he screamed for help, Sarah dived into the pond to try to save him.

The youngster began to panic and pulled her down with him so she was forced to let go.

A massive rescue operation was launched to save the little boy described by his mother Carol at the time as a "little adventurer".

Several passers-by stopped to help and within minutes, firefighters arrived.

He was pulled out and taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital where he died three hours later. Sarah was praised for her brave attempts by the deputy coroner Catherine Davies who recorded a verdict of accidental death. Following the accident, Jamie's mum Carol campaigned relentlessly for the lodge to be drained and sealed off. A new safety fence was erected.

She collected hundreds of signatures on a petition and enlisted the help of Bolton North East MP David Crausby.

Mrs Brooks, of Myrrh Street, Astley Bridge, has been visiting her daughter in hospital and has been too upset to talk about what happened.

Sarah is still being treated in hospital and has undergone two emergency operations.

A female supervisor at the ACPOA car park spent 20 minutes attempting to calm the teenager down.

She had fallen to the ground by the time police officers arrived on the scene.

Shortly after Jamie's death, Mrs Brooks said of Sarah: "My eldest daughter was convinced it was all her fault because she was with him and I have told her she did her best and tried to save him."

She later praised her daughter's rescue attempt, saying: "Sarah was brilliant and tried everything she could -- she could not have done anything else.

"At first she blamed herself, thinking whether she could have pulled him out but she is coping now."