TWO mystery men are being hailed as heroes after rescuing a Horwich man who fell head first into a ditch. Foundry worker Gordon Pearcy, 60, of Brownlow Road, fell four feet over a wall into a deep stream which runs close to his home. And police said that without the help to the Good Samaritans, Mr Pearcy could have lain undiscovered.

And now Mr Pearcy is trying to find the pair of heroes who came to his rescue.

Speaking from his home today, the foundry worker told how he was returning from the pub when the accident happened.

"I have had problems with my leg all weekend and when I was walking home it just gave way," he said. "I went straight over the wall and head first into the stream."

But as Mr Pearcy floundered in four feet of freezing water, with blood pouring from a deep gash in his head, two men passing by came to the rescue.

"There was a couple of men walking home in front of me and they must have run back to help," he said. "I heard them shouting for help and they were trying to lean over and grab me but I couldn't reach them no matter how I tried."

Eventually Mr Pearcy managed to grab his rescuer's hand and was pulled to safety. "By this time the the ambulance had arrived," he said. "I still do not know who these men were but I would like to thank them, without their help I don't know what might have happened."

Mr Pearcy was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital where he was treated for cuts and bruises.

Today police bosses praised the actions of the two men - aged 17 and 23 - who had rushed to help the injured man just after 12.30am.

A spokesman added: "If it had not been for their prompt actions this could accident could have had dire consequences."