A GORLESTON lifeguard has been nominated for a top life saving award after he helped rescue a man who had been stranded on rocks for more than six hours.
A GORLESTON lifeguard has been nominated for a top life saving award after he helped rescue a man who had been stranded on rocks for more than six hours.
Chris Jeffery has been put forward for the New Zealand Rescue of the Year award after he swam his way through treacherous waters and boulders to reach the man.
The 28-year old was in New Zealand as part of a RNLI exchange programme on January 9 when he and a colleague, Nick Smith, were called out the rescue the stranded man on the Canterbury coastline.
Mr Jeffery swam out to the man, who had suffered a dislocated shoulder, and the two lifeguards stayed with him until a helicopter winched him to safety.
RNLI lifeguard manager for East Anglia Darren Lewis said: “Chris and Nick showed real skill in what they did and deserve to be nominated for the award.
“Their quick instincts and ability to keep cool heads meant that the man was safely rescued. Without their training the outcome could have been very different.”
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