'I didn't think twice': Passer-by hailed a hero after saving helpless baby whose buggy had rolled off quayside into river

This was the dramatic moment a helpless baby whose buggy rolled off a quayside was saved from drowning by heroic passers-by.

The little girl's mother was watching a boating event in Exeter, Devon, when the buggy suddenly tumbled into the water.

As the frantic woman screamed out in horror, members of the British Dragon Boat Racing Association dashed over to help.

Victor Martinez, 51, dived down and hauled the one-year-old tot to the surface, still strapped into the sunken pram.

He then pulled the child's mum, who had leapt in herself, to the quayside so both mum and daughter were unharmed.

Londoner Victor was in Exeter as part of the British Dragon Boat race on Sunday.

He said: 'I was standing on the side with other members of my team The Raging Dragons when I heard a deafening scream.

'At first I wondered why the woman was so worried about a pram, but then I saw the baby girl's arms flailing on both sides of the buggy.

'I didn't think about it, I just ran and dived straight in the water. I think I hit the water at the same time as the buggy. I didn't think twice.

'The buggy was sinking quickly and I dived down to get under it to try push it to the surface.

'It was getting heavier and heavier, and me and my teammate Stuart Menzies, who jumped in after me, were struggling to push it up.

'I thought about unstrapping the baby but I just kept thinking we have to get her to the surface quickly.

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'We managed to get her to the top and I was struggling to keep the buggy at the surface when I saw the girl's face for the first time - she was screaming and crying.

'I looked into her eyes which were full of river water and just thought that she wasn't going to drown today.

'I think seeing her face gave me the extra push and we managed to get the pram to the wall.'

Back on the quayside Victor's son, also called Victor, reached down and helped to pull the buggy out while the dad went back for the baby's mother.

The British Dragon Boat Racing Association, who put on the event, praised the actions of the rescuers.

The baby was seen laughing and well after the rescue but was taken to hospital by her mother for a check-up. Neither the mum nor the baby have been identified.