Tom, 73, saves man from alligator (From Echo)

Tom, 73, saves man from alligator

12:30pm Tuesday 6th March 2007 in

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A PENSIONER helped save a man from being dragged into a murky lake by a seven-foot alligator.

Golfer Tom Arundel, 73, from Wickhay, Basildon, and American friend Pat McGuire, 68, pulled the man from the jaws of the would-be maneater while on holiday in Florida.

When he plays at his usual course, Boyce Hill in Benfleet, the only hazard sprightly Mr Arundel faces is flying balls.

But he kept his cool against the unusual hazard on the fifth hole at Timber Greens course in New Port Richey, about 40 miles northwest of Tampa.

Mr Arundel was playing there when he heard someone shout: "A gator's got me!"

The victim was 57-year-old Vernon Messier, who collects balls from the waterholes for resale.

Until then, he had always boasted that the reptiles would never go near him.

Mr Arundel said: "We heard him shout and ran over. We could see him struggling, waist-deep. The alligator had him by the foot underneath.

"He was trying to fight it and gouge its eyes, but it wouldn't let go. We were able to get him to the bank, hang on to him and stop him going under.

"Eventually it gave up and let go and we got him out."

Mr Arundel, who plays in Florida every year, said he had previously seen alligators in the water at the course, but had never seen anyone attacked before.

The alligator, which would usually feast on turtles, was tempted out by a piece of meat and killed. It is believed it may have been fed by humans, which can make the creatures more aggressive.

As for Mr Messier, his brush with death is unlikely to stop him fishing balls out of the lake.

The attack left him with a bloodied foot, but thanks to his diver's wetsuit he was not seriously hurt.

He even managed to drive himself to hospital.

Mr Arundel said people believed he would go back to the job, as it was all he knew.

Pasco County sheriff's spokesman Doug Tobin said: "He was lucky to get away with the injuries he received.

"Any time you go into the water in Florida you have to make sure you're extra careful, because alligators are definitely out there."