Dad’s life changed instantly after he tried to save 21-year-old

A dad's life changed in an instant after he heroically tried to save a man from drowning.

James Pugh, from Skelmersdale, attempted to save 21-year-old Hamza Mansoor, from drowning at Crosby beach in 2021. Hamza, was swept out to sea and, as a keen and confident swimmer, James tried to heroically save him.^[1][2]

Tragically Hamza Mansoor,^[3] who had travelled from Stoke for a day out at the Merseyside beauty spot, died, and ever since the incident the dad-of-two has been too scared to swim after the trauma of what he witnessed.

He told the Liverpool ECHO^[4]: "I use to swim in Crosby Marina I left school and joined the army so I use to do a lot of open water swimming." James' love of swimming changed in an instant after that tragic day but, last weekend he finally overcame his fears and on Saturday, October 21, he took his daughters swimming.

James went for a swim at Bannantyne Health Club in Skelmersdale with his two daughters, Caitlin and Amelia. The 40-year-old dad said: "My kids are always asking to go swimming... they've missed out on a dad taking them swimming so when they asked again I said yes."

James had tried to take his daughters swimming in 2022 but couldn't get in the pool. He said: "I felt anxious and being around my kids in the water made me panic so I pulled my kids out of the water as quickly as they got in."

This trip was different and the family enjoyed three hours of fun in the pool. James said: "I coped well and felt really relaxed and calm watching my daughters swim."

The dad said: "We stayed in the shallow end and swam up and down there I let my eldest Caitlin swim lengths I just made sure I could see her. I felt quite proud they can both swim really well."

After the accident at Crosby beach, James has had to deal with the trauma of the events he witnessed. He said: "When I have episodes it's like a panic attack and comes out of nowhere. I can still speak to people about it you just have to deal with it. It takes time."

Fitness plays a big role in helping James cope with the tragedy. He said: "Exercise is keeping me strong it's my life now."

James, who works on the railways as civil supervisor and rail engineer, has worked to raise awareness about the dangers of swimming. He told the ECHO in 2022^[7]: "This is something I want to raise awareness about... I just want people to be cautious."

After taking this huge first step James said: "I'm not in a rush to go back into open water and I don't know how I'd feel if my kids were in the sea. But I'm going to try and make a trip to the baths as regular as possible. My daughters are a big part of me and I feel like a proud dad going to for a swim with them."

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References

1. ^{^} Skelmersdale (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
2. ^{^} . Hamza, was swept out to sea and, as a keen and confident swimmer, James tried to heroically save him. (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Tragically Hamza Mansoor, (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
4. ^{^} He told the Liverpool ECHO (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
5. ^{^} Get a free National Trust pass worth up to £50 for your family day out this autumn (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
6. ^{^} Don't miss the latest Halloween events by joining our dedicated WhatsApp community (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
7. ^{^} 2022 (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
8. ^{^} Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)