Bridegroom rescues girl from pool

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/cornwall/8074294.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A Cornishman who rescued a girl from a swimming pool on his wedding day has been hailed a hero by his wife.

Former Royal Navy diver Todd Sweeney, from Falmouth, was in Cyprus preparing for the nuptials when he saw a girl on the bottom of a swimming pool.

The 40-year-old dived into the pool and resuscitated the teenager, who is believed to have suffered a seizure.

Three hours after saving the girl, who made a full recovery, Mr Sweeney and his fiancee Heather Bowden got married.

Mr Sweeney, who now works as a computer engineer, was relaxing with his wife-to-be and their one-year-old daughter, Neala, when he spotted the girl on the bottom of the pool.

The youngster, who is understood be called Sarah and was part of a group from London, had turned blue.

No hesitation

"I think my training just kicked in automatically - I got her out and did CPR," Mr Sweeney said.

After resuscitating her, he placed her in the recovery position before paramedics arrived and then headed off to get married at Ayia Napa Town Hall.

Mr Sweeney said the dramatic incident, on 15 May, had left him slightly shaken but said there was little time to think about it because he had to get ready for his marriage.

Just three hours after the rescue, Todd tied the knot with his fiancee

"I dried off, had a brief sit down and then went," he said.

"I was a bit jumpy and shocked about what had happened, but nothing a cold beer didn't sort out afterwards."

Two days later he met Sarah.

"It was an amazing feeling to see her up and enjoying her holiday," he said.

"She had no memory of what had happened."

His wife, Heather, said she was "immensely proud" of her "heroic" husband for his brave antics.

"It all happened so quickly," she added.

"He saw her in the pool and was gone - he didn't hesitate."