TWO Paignton teenagers have been awarded the Royal Humane Society award after they saved two girls from drowning.

Sam McMahon, 15, and his pal Joe Richards, 14 leapt into the sea at Preston Sands after they saw two 12-year-old girls being swept into stormy seas by a freak wave. Holly Osborne and Abigail both from Kingskerswell were dragged into the 'heavy sea with big waves battering the beach'.

Hero, Sam, a pupil at Paignton Community College, said: "I didn't know we had won the award, I knew we had been nominated for it."

Sam remembered the day in June when he and Joe plucked the drowning girls from the water as currents prevented the girls from standing up.

"We had been body-boarding and we came out and we saw them in the water and the waves were scary. We didn't think about it too much we just ran in and got them."

Joe, a pupil at King Edward VI Community College in Totnes was in Cornwall yesterday, but his dad Keith said: "I am very proud of him, he's a good lad and he definitely deserves to receive this award, especially as there were a lot of onlookers and the boys decided to get the girls out on their own accord. We are very proud of him."

Yesterday Dick Wilkinson, secretary of the Humane Society said: "These two lads put their own lives on the line without any thought for their own safety in order to save the two young girls. It was a very brave action for two youngsters and they richly deserve the rewards they are to receive. But for their swift action I dread to think what the outcome could have been."

Shocked and traumatised, Abbie escaped with a cut lip and bruises and Hollie badly hurt her knee and had to use crutches for a week.

The pair of heroes will receive Royal Humane Society testimonials on parchment for their bravery in saving the girls.