A DROWNING boy was saved from the sea when an off-duty council officer pulled him from the water.

The ten-year-old child, who is autistic, got into difficulties 120m east of Southend Pier .

His distressed parents and concerned members of the public alerted the emergency services after spotting him waving his arms and struggling to keep his head above water.

Luckily an off-duty council officer, who is used to patrolling the coast, spotted the boy in trouble while enjoying an afternoon onboard his own speedboat with a group of friends.

The pier and foreshore officer was able to race to the scene, drag the boy onboard and take him back to shore to be reunited with his relieved parents before the emergency services had even arrived.

Den Freeman, from the Southend RNLI volunteer lifeboat, which was also called to the scene, said it was lucky the council worker was there.

He said: “People are often out and about on boats near Southend, especially during the nice weather we’re having at the moment.

“It was obviously a very kind-hearted person who happened to be going by. It sounds like the little boy was very lucky.”

A spokesman for Thames Coastguard added: “The people on board the boat made sure the child got to the ambulance before they carried on with their journey.

“It was lucky someone was keeping an eye out. Obviously it is wonderful what they did to help.”

The child was conscious and breathing, but was taken to Southend Hospital for treatment following the incident last Thursday.

This incident comes just a week after 14-year-old Vikram Olayimnka was saved by brave police officer Martin Knights.

The teenager from London, who is also autistic, was enjoying a day out with his step-mum at Adventure Island on Southend seafront when he ran off into the water.