Couple's ‘drowning man’ joke backfires as police rush to scene

On Monday evening, police and paramedics were called to an address, in Great Bentley, after a shocked passer-by reported seeing a body in a pond.

Upon arrival, the three officers immediately located the homeowners, before telling them they had received reports of a person seen drowning on their property.

The unsuspecting couple was then told an ambulance crew was on its way to the scene, and before long, sirens could be heard, and blue lights could be seen.

“I had just had a shower, and was laying on the sofa naked, and all of a sudden my front door opened, and the police were asking to come in,” said the homeowner.

“I quickly put a cushion in front of me, and after putting some clothes on, the officers told me they’d had a report of a someone drowning in our pond.

“At this point, I had no idea what was going on, but then I could see an ambulance in the distance coming towards us.”

Paramedics were eventually told to stand down, after it was established the ‘drowning man’ was in fact a plastic head with arms used by the couple at Halloween parties.

The pair had actually placed the spooky prop in the pond in a bid to make locals laugh, after having their shallow reservoir dredged a couple of weeks ago.

The homeowner added: “I laughed, as did the police officers and my wife, but I am not sure what scared them more, the drowning figure or seeing me naked.

“My wife and I enjoy a practical joke, and we already had the drowning man, so decided to unleash him in the pond to amuse passers-by.

“We thought the man – named as Bobby by the police officers - would make people smile until the pond is properly replenished with water.

“We have used him many times at our Halloween parties, but we are still clearing the pond, so we will be keeping him there now.”