A LIFEGUARD has been hailed a hero for saving a woman’s life after she came close to drowning off one of Clacton’s busiest beaches.

A LIFEGUARD has been hailed a hero for saving a woman’s life after she came close to drowning off one of Clacton’s busiest beaches.

Aaron Forsyth dived into the sea and reached the woman as she sank beneath the waves and began losing consciousness off West Beach.

The 21-year-old, who is one of Tendring District Council’s beach patrol team, dived into the sea and kept the stricken swimmer’s head above the water as colleagues launched a rescue boat at 1pm on Saturday.

Paramedics were called to the busy beach and were so concerned about the woman’s condition when she was first bought ashore they called in the Essex Air Ambulance.

However the woman, aged in her twenties and from Maldon, then stabilised and was taken to Colchester General Hospital by land ambulance.

Tendring District Council seafront manager Tim Sutton said that had it not been for Mr Forsyth getting there so quickly and keeping her out of the water she could well have drowned.

* For the full story, see tomorrow’s paper