A teenager jumped into the sea to save a friend who was washed away by a massive wave.

Joel McNally dived into the water when Lloyd Wallis was swept from a concrete ramp on the seafront at Saltdean.

The two 13-year-olds fought the waves for 15 minutes while three friends searched for a lifebelt.

Chris Ellmore, 14, eventually cycled to Rottingdean to find one with enough rope to haul the pair out of the water.

He was joined by friends Josh Moore and Daniel Stepney and half-a-dozen passers-by to pull the two Longhill School pupils to safety.

Joel, who lives at Chailey Avenue, Rottingdean, said the group had been on a ramp but had not gone too close to the water because of rough seas.

He said: "One of the waves was a bigger wave than usual and it pulled one of my friends in. I just jumped in after him.

"He was shouting for help. I could not just stand there and watch him drown. I had to jump in and help him."

The two were shaking with cold when they were finally dragged ashore and taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.

Both were treated for the early stages of hypothermia and sent home later.

Joel's mother Sue McNally said: "I am really proud that he did what he did. I think he is really brave. But I would rather he did not go down there again to be quite honest."

Joel said: "We both want to say thank you to the people who helped us when we were both in the water because we could not thank them at the time.

"We would not have got out of the water if it was not them."