A PARAMEDIC saved the life of a drowning teenager while on holiday.

Mark Healey, aged 44, sprung into action when he spotted a boy floating face down in a swimming pool after having a seizure.

Now Mark, from Sharples, who works at Bolton North Ambulance Station, has received a special commendation from Greater Manchester Ambulance Service (GMAS).

He said: "I don't think I should have got an award because it's just part and parcel of my job. It's just that I was on holiday, but it is something that we all do every day."

Mark was on a walking holiday in Prestatyn, North Wales, in February with his wife Deborah and two sons James and Thomas, aged 10 and 13.

While the family was visiting a climbing centre, James noticed that a boy was unconscious in the centre's swimming pool. He told his mum, who shouted for Mark to come and help.

"My son saw this boy under the water and it looked like he was having a fit," said Mark. "When I got there the lifeguard had got him out of the water, then I took over and began CPR (heart massage)."

Mark carried on when the Welsh Ambulance Service arrived until the boy was stable enough to be taken to hospital.

It was later confirmed that the teenager aged 19, from Oldham, had suffered a seizure and had been under the water for eight minutes.

He also suffered a heart attack.

Mark added: "My family are pleased about the award, but, if anything, it should be my son that gets the credit because he alerted everybody to it."

A spokesman for the Welsh Ambulance Service said: "Mark's actions and assistance reflect the high standards of professionalism we expect of ambulance personnel and he is a credit to GMAS."

GMAS chief executive John Burnside said: "Mark is a credit to the service and we are grateful to have people like him working for the organisation."