Charity head: London slave women rescue 'miraculous'

Aneeta Prem says that when Freedom Charity was contacted for help by one of the victims she realised was "a one-chance call to make a difference". 6:41PM GMT 21 Nov 2013

Three "traumatised women" were kept as slaves have been freed after spending three decades imprisoned against their will in a city home, police said.

A 30-year-old British woman, a 57-year-old Irishwoman and a 69-year-old Malaysian woman are believed to have walked to their freedom from a property in south London after media coverage on forced marriages gave them the courage to contact a support charity.

Two people in their 60s have been arrested at the home this morning as part of the investigation into slavery and domestic servitude, Scotland Yard said.

It followed a call to police last month, from a charity on behalf of one of the alleged captives, who said she had been held captive for more than 30 years.

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Freedom Charity, which aims to advise and support victims of forced marriages or honour-based violence, got in touch after they received a call following television coverage on forced marriages.

Aneeta Prem, Freedom Charity founder, said the women were very distressed when they were rescued but also very relieved to be free.

She said "When they contacted the charity it was very clear it was a once chance call to make a difference. They basically told us they were being held and they needed support to come out of a very difficult situation."

She added that the charity felt "very humbled" that they were able to assist in "something so miraculous".

Source: ITN and PA

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MP Stephen Gilbert helps rescue woman floating in the River Thames

Hero: MP Steve Gilbert threw the stricken woman a lifebeltA quick-thinking MP was hailed a "hero" last night after a dramatic rescue of a woman from the Thames near Parliament.

Lib Dem Stephen Glbert was at an event on the House of Commons terrace, overlooking the river, when he saw what he thought was a body floating past.

But when he saw the body move he reacted quickly to throw a life-belt into the water, which she was able to grab before being rescued further downstream.

Mr Gilbert, who was at an event for bus operators on the Commons terrace, was left shaken by the incident.

He said: "What looked like a body just floated past.

"Then I saw that the person then moved and I followed them down the terrace."

A number of life rings are kept along the terrace at the Palace of Westminster and Mr Glbert, the MP for St Austell and Newquay, threw one into the river.

He said: "There are some lifebuoys on the terrace, I guess this is not the first time something like this has happened.

"I didn't expect for the person to move and then I didn't expect to have to react to get them a lifebuoy.

"She disappeared towards Westminster Pier and she was rescued near to that."

Mr Gilbert admitted the shock had left him "barely able to string a sentence together".

The Metropolitan Police confirmed a woman had been pulled from the river near Westminster Pier, just yards from the House of Commons.

A spokesman said: "The woman was rescued from the water by the RNLI, the marine policing unit was also involved.

"She has been taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service."

A spokesman added that the police had been called at 7.50pm.

He said: "The marine policing unit were involved.

"She was recovered from the water and was taken to hospital."

He added that the coast guard were also involved in the rescue, which happened "not long after ten to eight".

Police were last night investigating how the woman ended up in the Thames on a cold October night.

A source close to Mr Gilbert told the Mirror: "His quick thinking was heroic - and was clearly vital.

"Well done Stephen."

Mr Gilbert wrote on Twitter: "Shaken after seeing a body float past House of Commons terrace - she moved, I threw a life-buoy and she's now been
rescued!"

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