A brave police officer stripped down to his underwear to rescue a teenager stranded on a sandbank in the middle of an estuary in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The 18-year-old found himself stranded on the sandbar after walking into the estuary from Welcome Bay about 4.30am.
His cries for help were answered by Maungatapu resident Cameron Dymes.
"I was just lying in bed and I thought I heard someone yell out 'do you need any help?'. Next minute I just started hearing 'help, help'."
Mr Dymes said he initially thought he was dreaming, then thought the voice was coming from the neighbours - before realising it was carrying up the cliff from the estuary below.