Sisters from Wotton under Edge save drowning woman's life

Sisters Molly and Lily Gibbons, who live in Wotton, were swimming at Compton Bay on the Isle of Wight when they heard a woman screaming.

Priya Jacob had got caught up in the current, injured her leg and had caught her foot in rocks underwater - she was struggling.

Lily, aged 14, and Molly, aged 11, swam out to Priya.

With their father's help they freed Priya, put her on their surfboards and brought her back to shore.

Then they flagged down a passing police officer and Priya was taken to hospital.

Priya, who is a doctor, says she owes the girls and their father Jerry her life.

The sisters, who are both pupils at Wycliffe in Stonehouse (Lily is in Year 10 at Wycliffe College and Molly, is in Year 7 at Wycliffe Prep School) say they knew what to do because they had taken a life-saving course at the school.

"We heard Priya screaming and then a wave went over her head and the screaming stopped. Nobody on the beach could hear her because she was so far out - so we had to do something," said Lily.

Priya, who is 28, says she does not remember what happened.

"The last thing I remember was thinking that I had to take a deep breath and try not to get water in my lungs. The next thing I remember is being in hospital," she said.

"I thought I was going to die. Without them I wouldn't be alive. The girls and their dad are now part of my family and I can't thank them enough."

Once the girls got Priya to shore they put her in a recovery position and kept her talking so that she wouldn't lose consciousness.

"Lily and I took life-saving together as a Thursday activity at school. We learned what to do and just did that. When you do the lessons you never think you will use them to help someone," said Molly.

But the girls do not consider themselves heroes.

"We were just doing our part for the community," said Lily.

"We saw someone in trouble and we helped them."

Helena Grant, Wycliffe's new prep head said: "We couldn't be more proud."