Hero Derbyshire girl saves her friend from drowning in pool on holiday

A nine-year-old Derbyshire girl helped save her friend when she started drowning in a pool on holiday.
Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.
Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.

Sophia Perry, of Clowne, was on holiday in Gran Canaria in August and was playing in the pool with a seven-year-old girl she had met.

They were playing with dive sticks in the pool when Sophia's friend started to struggle while in the water.

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Thankfully, the Clowne Junior School pupil remembered what she had learned in her swimming lessons to help rescue her.

Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.
Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.

Sophia's mum, Natalie, 29, said: "The little girl jumped in the water and seemed to be just collecting the dive sticks.

"It turned out she was drowning and Sophia luckily realised and remembered her swimming lessons where she was told to get a firm grip of the edge of the pool then grab the person and pull them to the side.

"She hooked her fingers in the drain holes on the edge and pulled the girl in.

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"She coughed up some water and soon started to cry but she was okay."

Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.
Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.

Natalie said that when Sophia was aged three she jumped into a pool on holiday before she had learned to swim but thankfully her auntie pulled her out just in time.

"Sophia has been scared and nervous around water since then until she started swimming lessons with school aged eight," Natalie told the Derbyshire Times. "She still isn’t confident and panics easily.

Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.
Sophia Perry helped save her friend who was drowning in a swimming pool while on holiday.
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"I was just so proud that my non-swimmer that isn’t very confident in the water saved a girl because of a few school swimming lessons. It just shows their value.

"Sophia is also a member of St John Ambulance and an aspiring paramedic so her little act of heroism was extra special to her."

Sophia took her swimming lessons at Go Active! in Clowne and they have praised her quick-thinking.

"She was so chilled about it all," Natalie added. "There was no drama, she just pulled her in, made sure she was okay and was so supportive."