By Aileen Robertson

A WEEKEND trip to Charlestown culminated in a dramatic rescue for three Edinburgh men.

The men, in their mid-60s, arrived at the quiet Fife village on Saturday afternoon after setting off in a boat from Newhaven in the capital.

However, what was supposed to be a leisurely day out almost ended in disaster when one of the men fell into the harbour’s icy waters shortly after midnight.

John Robertson was in the water for about half-an-hour before firefighters pulled him out.

He was taken to Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline by ambulance suffering from mild hypothermia but was released later in the day.

He was visiting the area with his friends James and Robert Hannah and the three are believed to have stopped off at the Ship Inn in Limekilns during Saturday evening.

Villagers described how emergency vehicles descended on the harbour area at about 12.30 am.

One resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said, “The chaps came in on a boat at high tide during the afternoon, then they went off to one of the local hostelries.

“They came back and one of them fell into the water.”

Another resident added, “Their boat was alongside another one and they had to clamber across the other boat to get to theirs. One ended up in the water.

“His friend called 999 then apparently every rescue service in Fife descended. Flashing lights were shining across the harbour in all directions.

“Eventually they got him out of the water and he was stretchered away.

“He certainly won’t forget his jaunt to Charlestown!”

According to local sources, Mr Robertson’s friends tied a rope around him but were unable to get him out, and the emergency services were summoned. Crews from Dunfermline and Rosyth rushed to the scene.

While some residents described “flashing lights everywhere,” others admitted to sleeping through the incident. Several came out to offer the police on duty cups of tea.

One resident added, “He was very fortunate the tide was in at the time. If the tide had been out and he had fallen in the mud he would have been lucky to survive.”