A SAILOR told how he saved the life of a pensioner who fell into Weymouth harbour yesterday.

Holidaymaker Norman Hinton, 81, was on a three-day break to the resort and stopped off with his wife to visit HMS Hurworth, which was temporarily anchored near the Pavilion.

The minesweeper's crew instantly leapt to action stations when Mr Hinton, a former sailor, lost his footing and fell into the sea between the jetty and the ship.

Petty Officer Stephen Warren jumped fully-clothed into the sea to rescue Mr Hinton as his shipmates sounded the emergency pipe.

PO Warren, 28, who is based in Portsmouth, said: "I held Norman up as my colleagues rushed over with a harness and a ladder, then guided it down.

"I put the harness over his head and arms.

"The ladder didn't reach water level, so I put my feet on the harbour side and leaned against the side of the ship so he could climb up my legs and get to it.

"I didn't think twice about rescuing him, I just did what anyone else would have done."

Later, Mr Hinton and his wife, who did not see the rescue, were able to drive back to their home in Yeovil just two hours after the ordeal.

PO Warren added: "Afterwards we kept him on the ship, dried off his clothes and gave him a few cups of tea.

"We called the ambulance, and after paramedics examined him they said he was OK."

It was PO Warren's second sea rescue - he saved a woman in similar circumstances two years ago while serving on board HMS Pembroke.

A Royal Navy spokesman congratulated PO Warren for his bravery.

He said: "The gentleman was not injured as he could well have been, taking into account the ship's movements and the windy weather.

"It was PO Warren's fast reactions that prevented a possible tragedy."