A former Royal Marines Commando who nearly drowned says the three children who saved his life are “heroes”.

Wayne Sullivan, who served in Northern Ireland and the Falklands, was swimming at Minster Leas Beach when he got cramp in his leg.

“I was trying to come back against the tide,” he explained. “I started to go under and was swallowing water.

“My lungs were 80% full of water, my stomach was also full.

“I’d never had a cramp like it before, it was so severe. One leg was in complete agony.

“If it wasn't for those three youngsters – whether you call it coincidence or divine providence – I don't know. I call it a miracle.

“They just instinctively responded and went straight into the sea to pull me out.”

At the time, Ella Selfe, Max Markham and Jersie Wiles were walking along the beach and had decided to have a paddle in the water when they noticed Wayne struggling in the sea.

Together they managed to pull him out, call an ambulance and stay with him until the emergency services arrived.

Max attends Borden Grammar School in Sittingbourne and is Ella’s cousin.

Friends Ella and Jersie are 13 and go to Highsted Grammar School together.

Their actions were highlighted on social media by Jade Williams, who saw the incident unfold on Wednesday, July 24 just before 1pm.

Wayne added: “Dozens of adults were watching and none of them did anything.

“Only Jersie made the 999 call that day. I find it absolutely disgusting and appalling.”

The 63-year-old had his lungs pumped by a crew at the scene and was taken to intensive care at Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham.

Wayne was told he had pneumonia in his right lung, but made a drastic recovery and was discharged just three days later.

He then slept for two days at home, before being able to get back on his feet.

“I have made a remarkable recovery,” he said. “I'm still having tests on a fortnightly basis.

“For about half an hour, my oxygen levels went down to 10%.

“I was so near to death. Another 30 seconds and I would have been dead.”

Wayne says he is an excellent swimmer and regularly goes out three or four times a week.

The Minster resident is a full-time carer for his disabled wife, Tania and together they have three children as well as four grandchildren.

His eldest, Luke Sullivan, died four years ago from stab wounds during an altercation following a night out in Rochester.

“I've been a dad for 36 years and a granddad for 16,” he added.

“For them to lose me would have been disastrous.

“I've been in war zones and had bullets flying around me. That was the very closest I'd ever come to death and those youngsters saved me.

“More importantly, they saved my family from catastrophic trauma.”

On Saturday (August 3), Wayne was reunited with the children, their parents and the ambulance crew involved in saving his life.

He said: “It's not just about me surviving such a terrible trauma.

“In my mind first and foremost it's about those three brilliant heroes, those youngsters.

“I got cards and flowers for them – it was extremely emotional to say the least.

“There were a lot of tears shed between the four of us. They're not just role models to their peers, they're role models to many adults as well.”

The beach in Minster currently has no lifeguards after difficulties recruiting.

Wayne hopes his near-death experience will be a “wake-up call” and hopefully bring lifeguards back.

He says that since the incident, there were reports that crews from St John Ambulance have been patrolling the beach.