Two Fraserburgh sisters who saved the life of a man and his child from drowning off the coast of their hometown have been presented with a bravery award.
Isla and Eilidh Noble were handed a police public bravery award on Friday, after helping a seriously cold and shocked man while swimming in the Waters of Philorth near Fraserburgh.
At the time of the incident in 2019, the sisters were just 15 and 14 years old and pupils at Fraserburgh Academy.
Isla draped man over lilo
While on a family afternoon out on Monday, August 16 the sisters heard a child screaming for help.
Isla and Eilidh looked around and saw a man in the water with a child on his shoulders.
At first, the teens thought the man, Peter Schechter was joking.
But they soon realised he was having difficulty keeping his head above the waves, and was in real trouble.
Isla swam over to Mr Schechter with their lilo, while Eilidh grabbed her phone. Once beside him, Isla helped get his son off his shoulders and onto the float.
Isla then draped his arms over the lilo just enough to keep his head above the water, enabling him to remain afloat.
Beach-goer Keith Gray had also swum out to give assistance and took hold of one side of the lilo to help Isla.
He helped the sisters bring Peter and his child onto the beach.
By the time they were back on land the child was well, but the man had fallen unconscious.
Eilidh and Mr Gray attended to Peter and put him into the recovery position whilst Isla called the Coastguard.
By a stroke of good luck, nurse Sophie Ross had been walking on the beach when she heard cries for help.
The man was unconscious
Ms Ross told the RNLI at the time: ‘The young lass had pulled the fellow out of the water and he was on the lilo.
“We put him in the recovery position and got him to cough up some sea water, checked his pulse and breathing and kept the coastguard up to date with his condition until they arrived.”
After several minutes the man regained consciousness. Although still very weak and strapped into his stretcher he lifted his oxygen mask slightly to thank his rescuers before being airlifted to hospital.
Bravery and quick thinking
Isla and Eilidh were praised for remaining with Peter until the Coastguard arrived on the scene.
Inspector Jennifer Cordiner, of Fraserburgh police station, praised the sisters while presenting them with the bravery award.
She said: “Through Isla and Eilidh’s act of bravery and quick thinking a man’s life was saved.
“I am delighted that they have been given a Police Public Bravery Award and offer them my congratulations.”