Reunited: James Cracknell and his son with the family they saved

According to the Daily Telegraph, James and his son were surfing when they spotted the pair in trouble.

As Cracknell approached him in the water, the young boy, Emerson Fairclough, said to him: “I’m seven”. His grandfather then thanked Cracknell for saving his life, before saying: “Bloody hell – it’s the rower!”

Emerson’s mum Laura was left horrified hours after arriving for a family holiday. “I’m too young to die”.

The drama is said to have unfolded on Sunday, off a beach in North Devon, near to where the Cracknells’ have a holiday home.

But son Croyde had already pulled the relieved grandad to safety on his surfboard and was taking him to shore. After depositing the grandson on the beach, James Cracknell swam back to rescue Mr Greatorex.

The grandfather and grandson were said to be “shaken up but safe”. It’s not worth thinking about what could have happened.

Cracknell is also father to two daughters Kiki and Trixie.

Croyde was playing in the water with a big boogie board with his celebrity dad nearby when the powerful rip caught Emerson unawares.

Croyde stood on his board and shouted back to the beach with the result, as Croyde told Stephen Nolan in a BBC Radio interview, his father leapt into the sea “David Hasselhoff style” and went to prevent the boy drowning.

“The man was still fully clothed and had trainers on so would have weighed quite a bit”.

“They must have been around 70m away from the beach – they were quite a way out”.

Bev added: “I’m so proud of them both”.

Croyde holds a very special place in his heart and he has often spoken about his connection to North Devon.