Youngster pulls child, aged 4, from surf

Press, 21 December 1981, Page 6

Youngster pulls child, aged 4, from surf

PA Auckland A nine-year-old trainee surf-lifesaver, Cory Hutchings pulled a drowning four-year-old child from the surf at Gisborne’s Midway Beach on Saturday. “I saw a little boy out in the water and he was wriggling and struggling, with the waves pushing him around,” Cory said. “I went out to where he was-where the waves were breaking, to help him. “He struggled a lot and tried to climb up around my shoulders to get out of the water.”

When Cory brought the little boy to the beach, he could not see the child’s parents.

“A man came out of the shop and saw me. He was the little boy’s father and he came over to us.

. “He congratulated me and took the little boy away,” said Cory. At nine years old, Cory is one of the youngest members of the club.

He trains in first aid, use of equipment and basic water safety with children aged between nine and 13 at the Midway Beach Surf Club.

His father, Mr Benny Hutchings, took second place in last year’s Iron Man contest and is a patrol captain at the club. He is also the national coach for the New Zealand Kayak Assoication.