Linda Medland was near the Chesterway bridge in Northwich last Thursday afternoon when she saw youngsters throwing stones at a bird trapped in the river.
She shouted at them, they ran off and she managed to pull the bird out of the river.
As Linda was on her way to Kwik Save, she took the bird with her. An assistant helped her wrap it in a towel and put it in a box and it was looked after while Linda whipped round the store.
Linda then took the bird back to her home in Worthing Street and tended to it before releasing it on Friday morning.
She said: "I just want these youths to know that they didn't kill it. The bird was in shock and in a terrible state.
"To some people doves and pigeons are 10 a penny - but not to me."
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