Girl drowned trying to save boyfriend in Smethwick canal

A love-struck teenager jumped into a Smethwick canal in a desperate bid to save her boyfriend and drowned with him in the cold water, an inquest heard.

Friends of the couple frantically tried to raise the alarm after failing to reach Sara Rylance and Fayz Uddin, who were struggling in the water.

Fayz, 18, had fallen into the Birmingham Canal, off Whitehouse Drive, after attempting to jump across the waterway.

His jump had fallen short and he hit his head on the brick towpath on the far side. Sara, 17, jumped in after him but drowned.

Two police used a 12ft long hooked pole to lift Fayz from the canal in the dark, cold conditions at around 7.30pm on October 26 last year. Sara's body was pulled from the water by a rescue team.

At the inquest in Smethwick yesterday, Black Country Coroner Robin Balmain recorded a verdict of accidental death on Sara, a childcare student at Sandwell College of Albion Road, West Browmwich and Fayz, of Hanson Close, Smethwick, who had attended Halesowen College.

The couple had been with their friend Laura French, 18, when the tragedy happened. She broke down while giving her evidence, describing Sara had been "bubbly and kind".

She said Fayz went to the towpath to take a running jump across an 8ft section of the canal at a lock. But the girls heard a splash.

"Sara said that she loved him and that she was going to save him," said Laura.

The inquest heard the couple were in an "on-off" relationship, and Mr Balmain said they may have been worried about what their families would think of their relationship.

Speaking after the inquest, Fayz's father Gias Uddin said: "Fayz was a good boy. He didn't tell me about Sara."

By Andy Turton