Hero Fred Colaluca has told how he jumped into a raging river to rescue a 12-year-old girl.

The pair were dragged along by the current for 200 yards as they fought to stay afloat.

Now Fred, 51, has called for more warning signs at a notorious weir which is part of a popular beauty spot.

He admitted: “I have never been so scared in my life. At one stage I didn’t think I was going to make it. I couldn’t touch the bottom because the water was so strong.”

The drama happened near The Lees car park at Yalding on the River Medway when weir gates opened and unleashed a wall of water.

Fred and his partner had taken a picnic to the beauty spot. While walking on the road above the river he noticed the terrified schoolgirl hanging onto one of the man-made islands in the river surrounded by swirling water.

He said: “For most of the time, the water is shallow and youngsters paddle in it. But suddenly, without any warning, the sluice gates open and torrents of water come out. The force is so strong you cannot swim against it.

“I could see the little girl’s mother trying to reach her and just knew I had to do something. I emptied my pockets of my phone and money, jumped over the fence and then down a 10ft wall.

“I managed to grab the girl just as she let go but we were both swept 200 yards down the river. The water was so aggressive. Eventually I grabbed a branch at the side and pushed the little girl up the bank.

“We were both out of breath. I think she had swallowed quite a bit of water. I also saw her grandad being washed away down the river at one stage. It was very scary.”

The girl's grandfather later managed to pull himself free.

Speaking at his home in Bishop’s Oak Ridge, Tonbridge, today, the dustcart driver said: “I am a good swimmer and have done water sports. But that water was very aggressive. I know the area and the dangers well but many visitors aren’t aware. There are ‘No swimming’ warning notices but people still paddle.

“The gates open automatically without any warning. There should be an automatic siren or high-pitched bleep to tell people the gates are opening to give them time to get out of the water.”

He also hit out at others who failed to help.

He said: “There were plenty of people with boats but no one came over to try to reach the girl. Perhaps they didn’t realise what was happening.

“I know if I hadn’t been there, there would have only been one outcome for that little girl. Life can be taken away so quickly. It has made me very emotional. Last night I kept getting flashbacks.”

Both Fred and the girl, believed to be called Olivia, were taken to the Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury for check-ups. It is understood medics feared the girl could suffer from secondary drowning.

Her mother injured her foot while trying to reach her daughter. Fred, who was left shocked and bruised, also injured his foot when he jumped in.

He praised members of Kent Search and Rescue’s specialist water rescue team who had been training on the other side of the weir. He said: “Someone told them we were in trouble and they were soon lending a hand. Thank God they were there to deal with the situation afterwards.”

Kent Fire and Rescue’s water team was also sent to the incident. A spokesman sent a message to Fred on Twitter saying: “Congratulations Fred on your heroic efforts to save the life of the little girl.

“The family will never forget you. Our guys and girls train relentlessly for such situations. Luckily their skills were not needed as you were there to prevent the incident from escalating. Wishing you a speedy recovery!”

Kent Fire and Rescue has repeated a warning not to swim or paddle in that stretch of the river near the Teapot Island tourist attraction.

It said: "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep yourselves and your children OUT of the water near #Yalding sluice gates @kentfirerescue Specialist Water Rescue teams have responded to two incidents involving 5 casualties due to the opening of the sluice gates!"

The fire service said visitors are ignoring warning signs.The Environment Agency has installed a security gate by the weir pool and fitted extra rails to fill in gaps in the fencing.

Yalding Parish Council has installed fences and signs at the slipway on the Lees car park.

There have been several drowning near-misses in the past at that location.