Brothers in 80ft rescue copy Leo's big scene

By SIMON JONES

A BOY of 16 copied a breathtaking scene from a Leonardo DiCaprio movie to save his younger brother when he threatened to jump off an 80- foot water tower.

He climbed the tower and pinned his 14-year-old brother against a set of railings, keeping him safe while firemen raised a hydraulic platform to rescue him.

Firefighters said the distressed teenager had been drinking.

The drama mirrored a scene in the hit 1993 film What's Eating Gilbert Grape, when Johnny Depp (Gilbert) talked down his younger brother, Arnie, played by Titanic star Leonardo.

The real-life brother had scaled a drainpipe and ladder to reach the tower after a row at his home in Brownhills, West Midlands.

"He was very upset and threatening to kill himself," said Leading Firefighter Tony Mabbley of nearby Aldridge fire station.

"His brother did a sterling job. The whole thing was very emotional."

The 14-year-old's parents were re-united with their son at the tower at Brownhills Comprehensive School shortly after 9pm on Friday.

Police are now looking into how the boy had managed to get hold of the alcohol he had been drinking.

"We will be giving him and his parents a talking to," a West Midlands police spokeswoman said yesterday.

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