Express & Star

Aldridge teenager hailed a hero after saving girl from drowning

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A teenager has been hailed a hero after saving a young girl from drowning while on holiday. more

Jack Haines, who attends Barr Beacon School in Aldridge, leapt to the rescue after seeing the seven-year-old plunge into a stream.

Jack managed to get her hand and drag her from the water at the holiday park in Somerset.

The 13-year-old from Kingstanding was away with his parents, John, 53, Sue, 48 and sister Megan, 15, at Warren Farm Holiday Centre last month.

The drama unfolded in the early evening as the keen science student was walking past.

He had been fishing and gone to get some bait when he saw the girl named Rosie on her bike.

She ended up in the water about a metre high, trapped under the bike, with just her arm above the water.

Jack managed to jump over fencing and down a slope to get to her aid within seconds and drag her out.

The heroic teenager said: "My first reaction was 'I have got to save her'.

"It was all of her body that was underwater except one of her arms. Straight away I knew I had to get her out.

"As soon as I did she was just thanking me and made a little card saying it.

"Everyone is calling me a hero, I can't believe I did something like that. My dad was really happy."

Deputy headteacher at Barr Beacon, David Lowbridge-Ellis, said the youngster could now be in line for a role as a prefect in acknowledgement of his efforts.

He added all the staff had been informed of his actions.

"We are very proud of Jack for putting himself out for somebody else. Effectively it could have been putting his own life on the line," he said.

"He has been swimming for quite some time and I think that gave him confidence.

"We are looking into ways to reward our pupils who demonstrated exceptional skills."