A 19-year-old lifeguard was applauded to shore as he hauled a stranded young swimmer to safety.
Hal Tooley spotted the boy caught in a rip current about 50 metres outside the RNLI patrolled zone – marked by red and yellow flags – off Lowestoft beach.
As the boy mounted a groyne in panic, about 150ft offshore, Hal took to the water and convinced him back in to clip onto a rescue tube. He was then able to tow the swimmer back to shore, where they were met by the boy’s father and a round of applause from members of the public last Thursday.
Lifeguard supervisor Liam Fayle-Parr said: “This incident shows how quickly swimmers can get into difficulty, particularly where rip currents occur.
“Hal has been with us for several seasons now and is a brilliant lifeguard. He is a really strong swimmer and is incredibly dedicated.”
He advised swimmers to stay within marked areas covered by lifeguards.
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