Obiter suspected that last week’s Heimlich manoeuvre expert Richard Taylor, who heroically stopped his client from choking during a posh dinner, would not be the only solicitor out there to have saved a client’s life. Paul Inns, partner at Powys firm Hanratty & Co, has a tale of courage to tell concerning his partner, Robert Hanratty.

Some years ago, Hanratty was playing Sunday league football on pitches near to the River Severn, which was flooded at the time. During the muddy match, it wasn’t long before the ball inevitably ended up in the water. The linesman – a member of the opposing team who may or may not have been a client, but we like the story anyway – immediately tried to retrieve it by clambering down a steep slippery slope to the water’s edge, and attempted to use a branch to get the ball. Suddenly he overbalanced and fell into the fast flowing water, where rapids – and certain death – awaited him. Rather than jumping in after him, our quick-thinking solicitor raced along the bank of the river with little regard either for his own safety, or the numerous erroneous offside decisions that had earlier been made by the linesman. He waded into the freezing water to a suitable depth, and was able to grasp the linesman as he passed. A hero indeed. Though, sadly, the match was then ended and his team lost by a narrow margin. Some gratitude.