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James Cracknell and son Croyde in Devon sea rescue drama | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Former Olympic rower James Cracknell and his son Croyde rescued a grandfather and grandson who were in difficulty in the sea in Devon. | Former Olympic rower James Cracknell and his son Croyde rescued a grandfather and grandson who were in difficulty in the sea in Devon. |
Jim Greatorex and grandson Emerson Fairclough, both from Warwickshire, got into difficulty on Saturday before Mr Cracknell's 11-year-old son raised the alarm. | |
Mr Cracknell's wife Beverley Turner reported that Emerson said "I'm seven. I'm too young to die" as her husband approached him in the water, . | |
Both grandfather and grandson left the scene uninjured. | |
'Hasslehoff-style' | |
Mr Greatorex, 67, from Stratford-upon-Avon, had gone into the water fully clothed to help Emerson when the Cracknells spotted them. | |
Croyde said: "I was on my body board kneeling up, I saw a man struggling and saw him saying 'my grandson's in trouble'. | |
"My dad was in the water next to me so he dived into the water David Hasselhoff-style and swam under the water, picked the boy up and dragged him to shore." | |
The 11-year-old described in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live how he then spotted Emerson's grandfather also struggling. | |
He said he paddled up to him, gave him the surfboard, then swam back and told his father, who then helped Mr Greatorex back to the beach. | |
Ms Turner tweeted that the granddad said "that lad on that board saved my life". | Ms Turner tweeted that the granddad said "that lad on that board saved my life". |
She also tweeted: "You never know how your kids will respond in a crisis ... @croydecracknell was cool, quick thinking, kind and brave." | She also tweeted: "You never know how your kids will respond in a crisis ... @croydecracknell was cool, quick thinking, kind and brave." |
The drama unfolded on a beach in Croyde, North Devon, near the former Olympic champion's holiday home. | The drama unfolded on a beach in Croyde, North Devon, near the former Olympic champion's holiday home. |
Mr Cracknell tweeted: "Eventful day with my little man on beach. Thankfully everyone safe, Good to be able to help & so proud of my lad." | Mr Cracknell tweeted: "Eventful day with my little man on beach. Thankfully everyone safe, Good to be able to help & so proud of my lad." |
Croyde admitted he had felt proud of himself: "It's not every day you rescue someone from drowning is it?" he said. |