Miracle catch: Child saved after dangling from London window

Tense scenes on Ilford High Road as child dangles from upper-floor window

Last updated: June 11, 2026 | 13:07

Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor

1 MIN READ

Moments of terror and relief: A child hangs from a window ledge above a busy East London street before being rescued by a police officer and a member of the public.

Dubai: A dramatic rescue unfolded in East London after a young child was saved from a potentially fatal fall while dangling from a window ledge above a busy street.

The incident occurred on Ilford High Road on June 9, drawing a large crowd of concerned onlookers. Video footage widely shared on social media showed the child clinging to the outside of an upper-floor window for several minutes as passers-by watched in alarm and emergency services rushed to the scene.

As the child struggled to hold on, a Metropolitan Police officer and a member of the public quickly positioned themselves beneath the window. Moments later, the child lost their grip and fell, but was safely caught by the pair, prompting cheers and applause from relieved spectators gathered below.

According to reports, the civilian rescuer was identified as Jaseel. The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the scene at 3.23pm and the child was brought to safety within nine minutes.

Police confirmed that the child did not suffer any injuries. The dramatic rescue has since attracted widespread attention online, with many praising the swift actions and bravery of both rescuers in preventing what could have been a tragedy.

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Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor

Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 27 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.

Miracle catch: Child saved after dangling from London window

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