TWO schoolboys came to the aid of a family whose car had careered into the Bridgewater Canal at Timperley.

Wellington School pupils Ryan Cummins and Stephen Hoyland, both aged 15, were the first on the scene after a BMW with four people inside came off Canal Road and into the water.

The pals were pushing their bikes near the canal, because Ryan had a puncture, when they spotted the car in the water and then heard someone shouting for help, at 8pm on March 20.

They ran to the canal bank when they saw someone in the water.

There were two figures in the water - it was the car driver Nic Seddon, and his 16-year-old nephew, Daniel, who he had pulled out of the car.

Daniel cannot swim so Nic was keeping the 6 ft 3in youngster afloat and swimming with to where the boys were standing.

When Nic and Daniel got to the bank, Ryan and Stephen each took one of Daniel’s arms and lifted him to safety.

Daniel coughed up water but the teenager - who has special needs and goes to Brentwood School - was none the worse for his ordeal.

Ryan’s mum, Jayne, of Hempcroft Road, Timperley, said: “I am extremely proud of them - they are both heroes to me.

“They did not hesitate, they just reacted - and did whatever they could in that situation."

The two other people in the car - Nic’s parents, Bob and Patricia Seddon, aged 68 and 65 respectively, were rescued from the car. Bob was freed by Nic and Patricia by firefighters.

Wellington School headteacher Julie Armstong said: "Everyone at Wellington School is extremely proud of the way in which Ryan and Stephen reacted in an emergency situation.

"With no thought for themselves they immediately went to the aid of the passengers in the vehicle."

A SALE grandmother has paid tribute to the firefighters who saved her life when they rescued her from the submerged car.

Patricia Seddon, aged 65, thought she was going to die when water flooded the car and went above her head.

She was pulled free by fireghters - who had jumped into the water and smashed a window with an axe to pull her out.

When they brought her to the bank there were no signs of life - but firefighters and ambulance staff resuscitated her and restarted her heart and she has since made a rapid recovery.

Patricia said of the firefighters: "They are definitely heroes - without their help I would be dead."

She recalled the terrifyng moments when she was trapped in the car as it filled with water: "I just thought my number is up.

"It was so frightening but there was not a lot I could do. I think I froze."

Then she passed out and the next thing she remembers is waking up in Wythenshawe Hospital.

She was discharged last Friday, just three days after the dramatic rescue.