A HARBOUR patrol officer has been hailed a hero after saving a holidaymaker who was lying unconscious under the water.

Greg Pachany was on duty in the Lymington River when a 62-year-old woman standing on a pontoon crouched down to retrieve her handbag and toppled backwards into the water.

The 41-year-old father of two dashed to the scene after a nearby boat owner raised the alarm.

Greg, who works for Lymington Harbour Commissioners (LHC), was collecting mooring fees near the town quay when the life-and-death drama began to unfold.

He took just 20 seconds to reach the scene and spotted the woman just below the surface.

He hauled her aboard his patrol craft and was about to start emergency resuscitation when she took a huge breath and regained consciousness.

The woman, from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, had been on a river cruise.

She was carrying a black rucksack as well as a handbag and was about to return to her car when she lost her balance and fell into the river.

Greg said: “I was patrolling when someone started pointing to the water at the end of the pontoon.

“I found a rucksack and then realised there was a woman below the surface, obviously unconscious. I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the boat.

“It was a big shock because I hadn’t really understood what the boat owner was saying. I thought I was just getting the rucksack.”

The woman is thought to have been submerged for at least 30 seconds but started breathing again shortly after being rescued.

Greg added: “She didn’t want an ambulance but I told her she had to be checked over because she’d been unconscious under the water.”

Lymington councillor Anna Rostand, a former town mayor, described the harbour patrol officer as a hero.

Cllr Rostand added: “The person he saved is a very fortunate woman – and we’re very lucky to have such a highly-trained team who know just what to do in an emergency.”

The incident occurred last month but details have only just emerged.

It was raised at the latest meeting of the LHC, with members urging harbourmaster Ryan Willegers to commend Greg for saving the woman’s life.

Mr Willegers said: “An ambulance was called by the harbour office and two other members of the patrol team, Tim Penford and Peter Johnston, proceeded to the scene at speed.

"The woman was helped to her car on Town Quay so she could get some dry clothes pending the arrival of the ambulance.

"After spending approximately 40 minutes with the ambulance crew she was discharged from their care.

“It was a job very well done by Mr Pachany and the whole team involved.”