A baby had to be rescued from a canal after its pushchair rolled into the water.

The 11-month-old boy is understood to have been submerged for about 15 seconds amid panic along the Royal Military Canal in Hythe.

Patricia Smith 59, of Stone Street, Westernhanger, had been walking next to the waterway yesterday morning when she heard frantic screams.

It appeared a woman had let go of a buggy containing her 11-month-old grandson as she tended to her dog.

It then careered down the steep bank towards the water.

Mrs Smith raced towards the canal and lying flat on the bank reached out to the pushchair containing the strapped-in boy.

Working with the grandmother who jumped into the water, the baby was brought to safety having been fully submerged for up to 15 seconds.

Once out of the water, Mrs Smith who is first-aid trained, removed the boy from the buggy.

He was unharmed.

"I did wonder if there had been nobody else about, what would have happened?" - Patricia Smith

The incident was witnessed by other passers-by who also made offers of help including one woman who fetched a blanket to keep the baby warm.

Paramedics arrived at the scene within minutes and he was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Mrs Smith said: "It happened so quickly. You just respond straight away. Anyone would have done exactly the same thing.

"The lady told me she was his grandmother. She was traumatised and the baby was a bit shocked.

"I'm a grandmother myself and I thought if that was one of mine, I don't know how I'd feel.

"I did wonder if there had been nobody else about, what would have happened?"

A SECAmb spokesman said: "We were called to this incident at 9.45am on Sunday.

"An ambulance and a single response car were sent to attend and the baby, after being checked over at the scene, was taken by ambulance to the William Harvey Hospital at Ashford."

Mrs Smith, a support worker at Care Tech in Sellindge, is calling on Folkestone and Hythe District Council to use money gained from the new car parking charges to pay for railings to stop similar incidents occuring.

She said: "It's something that needs to be addressed.

"They just need to be on the one side by the road which is most used by people.

"Nothing to destroy the views or take away the beauty of the place but maybe something about thigh-high just so nobody can fall in or get into the water.

"It's a popular area. If you have a child running around, you can't relax. You hear parents saying to their children to be careful.

"There is a real need for rails - such as those already in place by the boating area - to be extended on both sides of the canal throughout this busy stretch of water..." - Susan Wallis

"The council have brought in the extra car parking charges. Where's that money going?

"It should put in to something that is potentially going to save a child's life.

"I think this is an important issue."

Susan Wallis, of Redoubt Way, Dymchurch, has described her friend Mrs Smith as a "hero".

She agrees that railings should be installed.

She said: "This incident is just one more in a long line of accidents where people have fallen into the canal in the central Hythe area.

"It is high time the council recognised the health and safety issues concerning the canal.

"There is a real need for rails - such as those already in place by the boating area - to be extended on both sides of the canal throughout this busy stretch of water."