A COUPLE from Essex who saved a mother and her seven-week-old baby son from the River Tavy have been praised by Devon and Cornwall Police at a special awards ceremony.

Danial and Kelly Phillips were presented with a Royal Humane Society Award by Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer and Sir John Evans, Deputy Lieutenant of Devon, at the ceremony last month at the China Fleet Club in Saltash.

A woman was found lying face down in the River Tavy in Tavistock, Devon, on September 19, 2011, at the bottom of a 12ft high steep bank and a pram was caught on a rock lying in the middle of the fast flowing river around 15ft away.

Two women heard a loud splash and pulled the woman from the water and on turning her over found she was unconscious and her lips were blue.

Danial and Kelly Phillips, who were on holiday in West Devon, ran to the scene and waded with the other women waist deep into the fast flowing water and found the baby boy inside the pram. He was lying face down surrounded by water and had no pulse. He had also suffered a facial wound.

They lifted the boy from the pram which was then carried down the river.

In presenting the Phillips with a Royal Humane Society award, their actions were described by organisers: 'Danial took hold of a nearby tree branch as he had difficulty finding a footing on the river bed. He held a hand out to help the member of public make her way back with the baby. The baby was passed to the riverbank where Kelly removed the baby's wet clothing and wrapped it in warm clothes at which point he started crying.'

The group gave them first aid until 999 crews arrived and both later made a full recovery.

A police spokesperson: 'Danial showed considerable bravery and put his life at risk in wading out halfway to assist in recovering the baby.

Kelly is also to be commended for her help and first aid skills; she had the foresight to remove the baby's wet clothing before warming him up. She negotiated a very steep and slippery river bank to get access to the woman,

The mother is extremely thankful for the efforts of those who helped her and her baby.