When Peter Collins took his weekly stroll along Redcar’s South Gare, he never imagined how his day would turn out.
As he braved the beach in cold and blustery conditions, he witnessed a giant wave sweep a fisherman into the water.
Peter played a vital part in the man’s rescue, who thankfully made a full recovery.
Peter was with his brothers Andrew and Steven when he noticed three men walking towards the lighthouse at the end of the gare on Saturday.
Feeling uneasy about how close the men were to the water’s edge, Peter - from Normanby - kept watching to see where they were heading.
As he looked back, he saw a giant wave smash onto the concrete edge, sweeping the men’s feet from under them and dragging them into the water.
“Two of them managed to get out and came running towards me screaming ‘Help, Help’,” said the business administrator.
“I think they were in complete shock because I tried to ask them if they had phoned for help, but they weren’t making much sense at all.
“I knew that I had to act quickly and ring the coastguard because within a couple of minutes, the man in the sea was already about 30 metres out.
“He was on his back shouting and screaming, heading towards the windmills.
“Luckily I always carry my phone in my hand, it’s a habit of mine, so I rang 999 and tried not to lose site of him.
“The coastguard kept telling me not to lose him because if we did it he would be in trouble.
“I had a pair of binoculars and he had a fluorescent jacket on which made it easier for me to see him, but at one point it looked like he went under.”
Peter stayed on the phone for 12 minutes and 55 seconds - the time it took the Hartlepool RNLI lifeboat - to reach Michael Soley and rescue him.
Ian Cooper 
Michael Sorley was fishing with his father Michael (left) and brother Rory (right) when he was washed off the South Gare
Michael, from Darlington, spent three days in James Cook University Hospital, after doctors worked on him in resuscitation for two and a half hours but luckily escaped with only scratches and bruises.
Peter, who works for Coast and Country Housing, said: “I am just glad he is Okay.
“Afterwards I kept thinking about him and wondering how he was, so when I read in The Gazette that he was Okay, I was relieved.
“It really is a miracle that he was rescued because at one point I was terrified he had gone under.
“Even when they pulled him out, I wasn’t sure if he would make it as it didn’t look good.
“The lifeboat got to him so quickly, another five minutes and I think it would have been a different story.
“I read that they were in the water on a training mission which I guess is lucky for him.
“I played my part in helping to rescue him but really I was just in the right place at the right time and did what anyone else would have done.
“To me, the lesson to be learned is always have your phone on you as you never know when you might need it and you could end up saving someone’s life.”
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