Lanner groom takes the plunge after swimming pool rescue (From This is The West Country)

Lanner groom takes the plunge after swimming pool rescue

10:30am Saturday 30th May 2009 in Cornwall

An eagle-eyed groom from Lanner literally took the plunge when he dived into a swimming pool to save a drowning teenager just moments before his wedding.

Computer engineer Todd Sweeney did not hesitate when he spotted the girl lying motionless at the bottom of the pool outside his hotel room in Ayia Napa, Cyprus.

Still fully clothed, the 40-year-old former Royal Navy diver over the railings of his balcony and into the pool and pulled her to safety.

He then proceeded to carry out CPR on her while his astonished fiancée Hazel looked on with their 20-month-old daughter Neala.

The teenager from London, who was part of a group of youngsters with special needs and who they knew only as Sarah, was taken to hospital where she stayed for two days.

Meanwhile, Mr Sweeney had just enough time to dry his wedding clothes and make it to Ayia Napa Town Hall for the wedding ceremony.

Mr Sweeney admitted that he had been “trembling like a leaf” following the dramatic rescue, but said his Navy training just took over.

He said: “We were relaxing on the balcony just before the wedding. The balcony faced the swimming pool. I just looked and there was a body on the bottom of the pool. Literally fully clothed, I just jumped over the balcony and dived in. Everyone was panicking but I got her back and put her in the recovery position before paramedics arrived.”

It is thought the girl may have had a seizure in the pool.

For the remaining two days of the family's holiday, Mr Sweeney was treated like royalty and given thanks and presents.

He said: “I was treated like a hero for the rest of our stay. I just shrugged it off – I was just glad to have been there.”

His new wife, a biomedical scientist, said: “A lifesaving incident and a wedding all in one day was slightly nerve racking. We're hoping that next year's holiday will be more relaxing!”