A SIX-YEAR-OLD boy who stopped breathing was brought back to life by two sunbathers on the beach.

The youngster was playing in a rubber ring off Chesil Beach when the drama unfolded.

Dorset Police , paramedics and coastguard officers were called to Chesil Cove on Portland after the boy, from Hampshire, was seen struggling in the water.

The coastguard helicopter airlifted the boy to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester and then to Southampton General Hospital to receive specialist treatment.

The boy remains in hospital in a serious condition.

A 999 call was made from the beach to the South Western Ambulance Service at 7pm on Wednesday when the boy was pulled ashore.

Stunned onlookers watched as the boy was resuscitated on the beach by two beachgoers who stepped forward to help.

Gerry Copeland, from Portland, was on the beach at the time of the incident.

He told how a man, believed to be in his 40s, and a woman performed CPR on the youngster.

Mr Copeland said: “I heard people shouting and saw the boy being brought out of the water “The man did mouth-to-mouth and the woman was doing chest compressions.

“They seemed to know what they were doing. There was quiet disbelief when the boy started breathing again.”

The beach was cleared by coastguard officers for the Portland Coastguard helicopter to land.

Onlooker Mark Mellon-Souster, of Weymouth, said the beach was busy at the time of the incident.

He said: “There were quite a few people on the scene.”

Mr Copeland added: “It’s nice that people responded so quickly.

“It’s another reason why we should keep the helicopter here.”

* The Olympic Sailing team will be sending the boy a Pride the Lion Team GB mascot toy.

British Sailing Team leader Stephen Park said: “It's upsetting to hear of the boy’s accident.

“I’d like to send best wishes from the team for a speedy recovery.”