Modest Portsmouth hero dashes into sea to save screaming man swamped by waves

Modest Terry Russell, 62, pulled off his shirt and raced into the sea at Eastney last Wednesday with no thought for himself before saving the troubled man who was submerged in water 25ft from shore.

Semi-retired truck driver Terry said he phoned police amid concerns for the man, thought to be in his 50s, before being told to wait for help.

But Terry, of Milton, said it would have been too late – and galloped into the murky sea as towering waves thumped into him.

Terry, who was walking his dog along the beach when the drama unfolded around 11am, said: ‘I was watching this fella, who was shouting and screaming.

‘He’s gone out into the sea and is getting deeper and deeper. I knew something was wrong. He then fell over. Waves were crashing over him for a couple of minutes. He was very distressed.

‘I phoned the police but they were saying, “we don’t know where you are”, and told me to wait for help.

‘I thought, “I’ve got to go in”. I took my shirt off and handed my phone to two people who were passing by on the beach and then ran in.

‘I’ve gone in up to my neck…it was freezing… and managed to grab him and fish him out after pulling him along. He was screaming and inconsolable.’

To make matters worse Terry said there was a sudden ‘drop’ in the sea with the ‘grit in the sand going from under your feet’.

And then, once back in shallow waters, Terry needed his powers of persuasion after the man started trying to go back out to sea.

‘I was in the water freezing trying to persuade him to come out for about 10 minutes. He was trying to go back out,’ Terry said.

The stricken man was also encouraged to come to shore by the two people Terry had handed his phone to – with them helping to direct police to the incident.

But their woes were not over yet, as police took around 30 minutes to find them – even driving right past at one point.

Once police and paramedics arrived the man was taken to hospital and freezing cold Terry went home for a warm shower.

Reluctant hero Terry played down the event: ‘You don’t think anything of it. I would just like to know how he is but no one will tell me.

‘It was lucky the two people were passing by to help too. I’m not sure what I would have done without them, so I would like to thank them too.’

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Anyone struggling should call Portsmouth Samaritans on 0330 094 5717.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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