Hautes Capelles Primary School pupil Ermins Belikovs, pictured, was on the beach at the L'Islet side of Le Grand Havre when he spotted the seemingly unconscious man lying on rocks as the tide was beginning to engulf him.

Ermins, who was with his grandmother on the beach but had run on ahead, immediately went over to try and help.

'I spoke to him and touched his arm but I couldn't wake him up,' the youngster said, adding that there was a bottle of alcohol nearby.

'He was cold and his clothes were all wet.'

The man's face was bleeding and Ermins said the waves were reaching the casualty's legs. He was worried that in a few minutes the man would drown.

A dog walker was nearby so Ermins shouted for help and the police were called.