FEARS that three men had fallen into the Manchester Ship Canal, in Runcorn, sparked a major rescue at the weekend.
Police apprehended two men in Mersey Road and two women at Wigg Island, at 8am on Saturday.
A third male was seen running over Wigg Island Bridge, just as a service rescue boat was about the be launched after unconfirmed reports that a car had been seen plunging 30 feet into the canal.
Watch manager, Sean Henshaw, of Runcorn Fire Station, said: "The temperature of the waters around the area at this time of year is lethal.
"The two males who were pulled from the water priory to our arrival were extremely cold and in an effort to prevent their deterioriatiion, they were wrapped in space blankets."
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