'I owe them my life': Wolverhampton mother thanks her seaside rescuers

Judy Thacker was in the sea near to Caerddaniel Holiday Park in Barmouth last Monday afternoon with her son when she said the current became too strong and she was struggling to stay above the water,

She has since expressed her thanks to her 16-year-old son Reiss Bamford and to Adam Pettitt, from Telford, who swam out to help her, while the emergency services were called.

Judy said she regularly visits the area, due to her aunt having a caravan there – and is always going into the sea and has never experienced a problem before.

Judy, who lives in Bilbrook, said: "It was late afternoon, around 3pm-ish, and were just playing about with the rubber rings. I could sense that something was not quite right – it was quite strong and you could feel the pull in the water.

"I could feel that the waves were getting bigger and they were pulling us further back. A huge wave came, my rubber ring went flying and it just took me. The waves were then relentless – I just could not get high enough to breath and I tried to swim, but just couldn't.

"If it had not been for my son, Reiss, I think he thought I was playing but I was shouting 'Reiss help me'. He kept telling me to stay focused and he was trying to grab my hand. He shouted for help and raised the alarm.

"He just trying to keep hold of my hand. All of a sudden I lost his hand – and another wave came and I just thought 'this is it', I thought I wouldn't make it.

"Then Adam came running in and next thing I know, I was on the beach again."

She added: "My son was so brave and strong – if he had not raised the alarm then Adam would not have known I was struggling.

"I owe my life to Adam and my son. I am so grateful to Adam, if it was not for him I would have been gone – if he had not come into the sea there's no doubt about it.

"I want to say a huge thank you to Adam. He was a hero – he just dived in."

Adam said he was on the beach, which overlooks Cardigan Bay, with his wife Cheryl, 40, and three-year-old son Oscar, when he saw Judy and her son out on the sea in inflatable rings.

The 38-year-old said: "Her son started waving his hands about and shouting for help. The sea was really rough. She was about 25 yards out. The waves were huge and there was a strong undercurrent.

"When I got up to her and grabbed hold of her she almost had no energy whatsoever. She was exhausted."

A worker from Caerddaniel Holiday Park, who was also a community first responder, came to her aid. Although Barmouth lifeboat was tasked to help, the crew were stood down as Adam had already managed to rescue the woman.

Holyhead Coastguard said there was a westerly wind and the woman may have been swept out by a rip-tide.

A coastguard rescue team were sent to the scene and gave Judy first aid after she ingested a lot of seawater.