Young teen saves 80-year-old swimmer in his first lifeguard rescue at popular Hawke's Bay beach

A lifeguard - who is barely a teenager – pulled off his first rescue at a popular Hawke’s Bay beach this week.

Fourteen-year-old Luca Broome came to the aid of an 80-year-old man at Waimarama Beach on Tuesday evening.

Luca described how the rescue happened to Seven Sharp.

“I was out on my paddleboard and I saw an elderly man out the back struggling to swim on his back.

“I watched him for a bit and he was getting nowhere so I went over to him and asked if he was alright and he said he was getting tired so I got him to hang on to my board and I paddled him back in.”

The 14-year-old admitted he was “pretty nervous” as it was his first rescue but knew it had to be done as the situation could have ended badly for the tired swimmer.

“He was pretty grateful for the rescue, his wife even came over and thanked us,” he said.

Luca’s dad Jason says he is “very proud” of his son.