A YOUNG kangaroo is lucky to be alive today thanks to the quick thinking and ingenuity of a pair of NSW teenagers.

Nick Heath and Jack Donnelly, both 19, were riding their motorbikes in the bush outside Sydney on Sunday when they came across a distressed kangaroo stuck in the mud.

The boys were lucky enough to spot the head of the animal peeking out of mudflats at Agnes Banks near the Nepean River in southwest Sydney.

The animal was clearly distressed but the boys couldn’t reach it so they raced home to get some rope to conduct a rescue attempt.

When they returned, Mr Donnelly tied the rope around his waste and waded into the thick mud to fetch the kangaroo while his mate then pulled them roughly 30m to safety.

As with all good Aussie heroes, the pair basked in the glory of their good deed by getting their 15 minutes of fame on morning TV. Appearing on Today this morning, the young men recounted their efforts to save the animal.

“I first spotted the roo when Nick and I were riding in the bush and I saw this head sticking out of the mud,” Mr Donnelly told the Channel Nine show.

“The roo’s life was important to us so we went out on an arm and leg and got it,” Mr Heath added.

“We think he went searching for water there and it was really muddy so he got himself really stuck.”

Given the special place the animal occupies in Australian iconography, the youngsters were pretty chuffed with their efforts — and rightfully so.

“It’s a pretty patriotic thing to do and we’re proud of what we did. If we saw something like that again, we’ll do it all over again,” Mr Heath said.

Mr Donnelly posted a photo on social media showing both him and the roo covered in mud following the successful rescue mission.

In video footage of the rescue given to Channel Nine, the kangaroo — which the boys dubbed Lucas — can be heard grunting and moaning in clear discomfort.

As Mr Donnelly made his way through the thick mud, his friend encouraged him on.

The animal, which was not in great health after being plucked from the quagmire, was handed to wildlife rescue organisation WIRES.

It’s believed the kangaroo was likely searching for water in the dry conditions when it became trapped in the mud. Wildlife officials were reportedly concerned about the effects of dehydration on the animal but expected it to pull through.

WIRES has been contacted for an update on the kangaroo.

As for the heroes of the story, they’re glad to have been in the right place at the right time to help the marsupial — and don’t mind the attention it’s brought.

“Yeah we liked it, something different,” Mr Donnelly told news.com.au.