Heroes rescue two children and their grandmother from the sea in Blackpool

Ben Ashworth, 14 and Charlotte McIntyre, 24, were nominated for an award following the dramatic rescue.

Charlotte said: “It was a total shock when we heard about the award, neither of us expected this because we just did what anyone else would have done. I don’t think it really hit us what had happened until we got home.”

The drama unfolded when Ben and Charlotte visited the resort for the day with friends and family to see the air show. Afterwards Ben decided to go for a swim to cool off.

He said: “I could see the woman and the children in the water but they looked like they were playing at first.

“We didn’t realise they were in trouble and a man said to me can you help them?”

Ben dived in and swam towards the woman who was floating on her back.

“I just had to concentrate on supporting her and pulling her towards the steps to get her out of the water,” he added.

Charlotte plunged in to rescue the young children, who had been playing on the steps.

She said: “The waves were quite strong and they had been pulled into the water so the grandmother had jumped in to try and save them and all three of them got into difficulty.

“The children were coughing, choking and crying but I had to concentrate on getting them out of the water and onto the steps.”

Charlotte wrapped the shocked children in blankets and towels she had brought for the day trip while they waited for paramedics, who had been alerted by bystanders, to arrive.

Ben’s proud mum, Sarah Oxborough, said: “I am proud of Ben anyway so when I found out what he had done it just made me prouder still.

“What Ben and Charlotte did was wonderful.

“They saved the lives of these three people.”

Ben and Charlotte, both from Burnley, are among the nominees for the 2BR Local Heroes Award announced this week.