A heroic shop worker who caught a young girl as she fell from a first floor window said he owes it all to his cricket skills.
Mohamed Jesil ran across rooftops to catch the three-year-old, who managed to hang on to the ledge for almost ten minutes before letting go.
Terrified onlookers in Ilford, London, watched the dramatic moment unfold as Mr Jesil and a police officer prepared to catch the girl on the balcony 15ft below.
Incredibly, the girl was uninjured after falling and gave the father-of-two a ‘big hug’ when he brought her to safety on June 9.
But Mr Jesil, who was a ‘complete stranger’ to the child, said the life-saving catch was down to his cricket ability.
‘I ran out on instinct. I’m a dad of twins aged five months, and as a dad I just reacted,’ he told Metro.
‘I wasn’t scared, I just didn’t think. I’m not a hero, I just did it as a dad seeing a child in trouble.
‘There was massive relief when I managed to catch her; she didn’t say anything, just gave me a big hug. I’m so happy it could help.’
Mohamed Jesil ran across rooftops to catch and save a three-year-old girl who dangled out of a window for almost ten minutes
Mr Jesil and a police officer dramatically rescued the girl as they rushed to the scene seconds before the child fell
The young girl was uninjured after the fall and was then taken back inside the property through another window
The restaurant manager who lives nearby continued: ‘I played cricket in India so that may have helped with my catching. I just knew I had to concentrate.’
The young girl had crawled out of the first floor window and on to the ledge before dangling above a pawnbroker’s shop for nearly ten minutes.
In footage of the incident shared on social media, bystanders can be heard shouting at the police officer to ‘hurry up’.
Neighbours also moved their laundry out of the way and a woman on the floor below tried to get out of her window to catch the girl.
As more anxious onlookers gathered on the street below, Mr Jesil rushed over topless to assist the police officer on the balcony.
Both men stood with their arms outstretched prepared to catch the girl who wriggled on the ledge before losing her grip. Mr Jesil then caught her and the tense crowd cheered and clapped.
She was then taken back into the property through another window but safeguarding concerns were raised by social media viewers.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘Officers were called to Ilford High Road at 3.23pm on Tuesday, June 9, following concerns for the safety of a child climbing onto a window ledge.
‘The girl was brought to safety by 3.32pm by an attending officer and member of the public. They did not receive any injuries.’
