A HERO rushed to the rescue of a young boy who got into difficulty out at sea.

The youngster had gone for an evening swim in the sea off Walton when things took a turn for the worst.

He soon found himself struggling in the water.

A member of the public saw the boy in distress and was able to get him to safety.

Extra help also arrived in the form of multiple emergency service teams.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We were called to an incident on the beach in Walton-on-the-Naze shortly after 8pm on June 14.

“We arrived alongside emergency services colleagues and found a young boy who had been in difficulty in the water.

“Thankfully, a member of the public had been able to bring the boy to safety. 

“He was taken to hospital for treatment. 

"His condition is not life-threatening or life-changing.

“Our inquiries into the circumstances around the incident are ongoing.”

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency was also alerted to the incident.

A spokesman added: “The alarm was raised at about 8pm with responses from the Coastguard Rescue Teams from Walton and Clacton, and the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat from Walton.

"The child was handed over to the East of England Ambulance Service and taken to hospital.”

A spokesperson from East of England Ambulance Service confirmed it had been called.

They added: “We were called at 7.55pm on Wednesday June 14 with reports that a child had been pulled from the water at Princes Esplanade on Walton-on-the-Naze.

“A rapid response vehicle was quickly on scene and followed by an ambulance, an ambulance officer vehicle and a response car from the BASICS Essex with a doctor and paramedic on board.

"The child was transported to Colchester Hospital for further assessment and care.”