A TOURIST owes his life to a local businessman who risked his own life to save him off the coast of Mexico.

Stuart Williams of Cannop, who runs County Marquees in Chepstow, was on the beach at Tulum in the south of the country to take pictures of the sunrise when he saw a man in difficulties in the sea.

Mr Williams, who is also chairman of the Dean Forest Railway, said: “I went down to the beach to take pictures of the sunrise and there was a group of people looking out to sea.

“There was a guy about 250 metres out and he was in trouble.

“There were no rescue services and not even a lifebuoy – it was a case of go in after him or watch him go down.”

It took Mr Williams about 15 minutes to reach the Colombian tourist in the Gulf of Mexico who was completely disorientated and unable to find his way back to the beach.

He used the skills he had learnt as a member of Chepstow Lifesaving Club to tow the man in his 30s back to safety, which took around half an hour.

Mr Williams swims twice a week at Chepstow Leisure Centre and describes himself as a ‘strong’ swimmer.

“His eyes were bloodshot where he had been in the sea for so long but I was able to get him in a position where I could use my legs and one arm to swim back.

“The swell was quite large and he then decided to turn and put his face in the water so I had to change position so I could only use my legs to propel myself.”

The man had gone into the sea somewhat the worse for wear after an argument with his wife, said Mr Williams.

“We had seen him the night before and he was putting the ‘pop’ away – and pop and sea water don’t mix.

The man was taken to hospital after the rescue which took place last Wednesday (November 23), on the last but one day of Mr Williams’s holiday with wife Sarah.

“They bought us dinner with Champagne and his wife sent me an e-mail calling me an ‘angel’.”

Mr Williams said he also advised the travel company to warn tourists that rescue facilities may not be available.

He said: “Apparently the fire department has a rescue boat but it is not available in the morning.”