INSIDE THIS EDITION…
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Voice Ocean Grove
Jan 20 - Feb 2, 2016
FREE FORTNIGHTLY
OCEAN GROVE’S NUMBER ONE NEWSPAPER
Police in 36-plant drug bust
Sally Smith (second from right) thanks her rescuers Louise Challis, Donna Larkins and Shonah Friswell.
POLICE charged a 50-year-old woman last Friday after finding 36 cannabis plants in a Shell Road backyard. They executed a search warrant on the property after receiving an anonymous tip-off from Crime Stoppers. Bellarine police officer Sergeant Mick Knight said the woman was scheduled to appear before the Geelong Magistrates Court that day. “She assisted with our inquiries,” he said. “We required a trailer to take it away – to give you an idea of the quantity.” Sgt Knight encouraged Ocean Grove locals to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Bellarine Police on 5256 2698 to report any suspicious activity. “Calls to Crime Stoppers really help us local police,” he said.
Sally finds her angels By LUKE VOOGT BARWON Heads resident Sally Smith last week finally got to thank three brave women, who saved her life just days before Christmas. The Voice helped track down Ocean Grove’s Louise Challis, and Geelong’s Shonah Friswell and Donna Larkins, who rescued Sally at Raafs Beach on 18 December. “They’re my three angels,“ Sally said as she was reunited with the trio at Dunes Cafe last Wednesday. “I’m incredibly grateful to each one of them – I bet they never swam that fast in their lives.” Shonah, Louise and Donna were chatting in the shallows when they noticed Sally struggling against a rip.
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I’m incredibly grateful to each one of them – I bet they never swam that fast in their lives… Sally Smith
“A little boy tapped my arm and said there’s a lady needing help,” Louise said. Shonah was the first in the water and swam towards Sally, before she herself got caught in the rip and was unable to touch the sand. “I thought oh my God, it’s got me,” she said. Aware of the rip, Shonah began to swim diagonally towards Sally, instead of straight towards her. “I got an arm’s length away from
her and I could not go any further,” she said. Louise swam between them to bridge the gap and shouted for Sally to lie on her back. “I came onto a reef so I could sort of touch the ground,” Louise said. The pair then dragged Sally back into the shallows. As they dived into the water to save Sally, Donna ran back to call triple zero.
“No sense in all three of us bloody drowning,” she said. As Donna rushed to shore to get her phone, some nearby children got the wrong idea. “I was trying to push my way out of the water and the kids were shouting ‘Shark!’ ” she said. Louise said the pair “didn’t have time to be scared” jumping in after Sally. “I thought we’ve got to get this lady out of the water,” she said.
Shonah said the emotion of the event didn’t hit her until later. “When I got back to my car I cried and thought what if I had drowned,” she said. “The fear on her face is probably something I’ll never forget.” Sally bought each woman a necklace “so they (could) remember what they had done”. She’s still searching for the two boys who notified the women in time for them to save her. She said one was about five years old and named “Oscar”, and the other was about 10, with glasses and black hair, likely named “Raj”. “It’s lucky those little boys paid attention and let us know,” Louise said.
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