A TEENAGER is thanking the rescue hero who dived in to save her life after she got dragged out to sea.

Asha Ali, 13, got into trouble when a big wave knocked her over when she was paddling off West Bay beach.

The Colfox School student told of the frightening moment she was dragged out to sea and thanked her friend Reece Evmez, 15, from Bridport, who dived in to rescue her.

Asha Ali said: “Some of my friends were on the beach including Reece who was sunbathing.

“My best friend and I were in the sea, jumping in the waves which were small at first but then we got knocked over. As we started to get up a big wave came crashing down on us and we got dragged out to sea by the current. It was really strong and I was scared.

“My friend managed to get to shore but I got dragged out.

“I don’t really remember a lot as I had swallowed some water and was going unconscious but Reece swam out to get me and helped me get to the rocks.

“Other people helped get me out. I was put in an ambulance and taken to hospital and kept in for a night. I felt really dizzy.

“I feel okay now and I really appreciate what everyone did for me, especially Reece.

“I don’t think I will go in the sea for a long time.”

Beaminster School student Reece said: “I honestly didn’t have time to think, I just went out there and got her back.”

He added: “If I didn’t get to her when I did, I don’t think she’d be here.”

He said when he got to Asha she was starting to go underwater and was going unconscious.

He put his arm around her to keep her head above water and started to swim back.

Reece said: “I managed to get her to the rocks and that’s where the other people helped.”

A group got Asha onto the rocks and wrapped her in towels to keep her warm. Reece said one man offered to help him, but he told him to look after Asha.

He went back to the beach to dry off, before returning to the rocks after a few minutes to look after his friend.

Reece said people had wrapped Asha in jackets and towels, and then the coastguard and ambulance crews arrived.

Asha was taken to Dorset County Hospital and crews checked Reece over and took him to hospital to make sure he was okay.

Reece thanked the people on the rocks.

He said: “I couldn’t have done it without the people that got onto the rocks and pulled her out. I don’t know who they were – I’d like to thank them.”

Marie Ali, Asha’s mum, said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to Reece and everybody that was involved, the girls that called the coastguard and the ambulance, everybody really.

“She’s a really lucky girl.”

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