A thankful mum was today (Friday) taking her little boy and his heroic friend for a trip to Southend's Adventure Island.

Susan Clarke, of Carmania Close, Shoebury, cannot say thank you enough times to the boy who saved her eight-year-old son's life by jumping into a pond after he tumbled in.

Brave Mykee Madden was hailed a hero when he and his friend Tommy Clarke climbed a tree to dodge angry swans, but the branch supporting Tommy broke, and he fell in.

Tommy cannot swim and Mykee, seven, jumped in and pulled him to safety.

Susan, 28, said: "At the time I asked Tommy what was going through his head when it happened and he said: 'I would have died if Tommy hadn't been there, wouldn't I?' Mykee is a hero."

Thank you - Tommy Clarke hugs Mykee Madden after his rescue

Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.