Proud parents have told how their son and daughter helped save a three-year-old girl from drowning in a swimming pool in Majorca.

Darren and Danielle Griffiths, of London Road, Clacton, were on holiday in Cala D'Or, playing around the poolside by their holiday apartment.

Danielle, 11, who goes to Great Clacton Junior School, spotted the youngster lying face down in the water and called to her 14-year-old brother.

The teenager, a pupil at Clacton County High School, swam over to the girl, who was limp and lifeless.

He managed to get her to the shallow end, where he could stand, and carried her over to the side of the pool and called for help.

Another holidaymaker came over and worked on the girl and got her breathing again.

"There was a slight pulse but she had stopped breathing when Darren got her out of the water," said his father, Kevin.

"The man who brought her round said that if Darren had gone for help, rather than getting her out of the water straight away, it would possibly have been too late. He probably saved her life."

The incident happened at about 6pm in the evening and there was no-one else at the pool, apart from the girl's five-year-old sister.

Darren and Danielle's mother, Lorraine, went to calm down the girl's mother, who was pregnant, while Mr Griffiths went to the pool with the father to see if they could help.

The girl was eventually taken to hospital with her parents, while the Griffiths looked after the sister.

"The family finally got back to the appartments at 12.45am and, fortunately, the little girl was fine," said Mrs Griffiths.

"It was lovely to see her playing the next day. Darren took a picture of her, it could have been so different. The girl's parents thanked Darren for what he had done and gave him a big hug."

The incident happened three days before the end of the family's holiday. They returned to Clacton on Saturday.

Hero and heroine - Darren and Danielle Griffiths of Clacton saved a youngster from drowning while on holiday

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