AN HEROIC window cleaner who risked his life to save a drowning child seven years ago has been reunited with the boy.

Steve Turner, from Kendal, did not hesitate when he saw four-year-old Kingsley Green motionless in the sea off the Fleetwood coast and dived into the freezing cold water.

Thanks to Mr Turner, Kingsley escaped with only bruises but did not have the chance to talk to the man who pulled him safely to shore.

On Sunday, Kingsley and Mr Turner reunited in order to give the now 12-year-old a chance to say 'thank you' to the man that saved his life.

"Beforehand I was a bit nervous," Kingsley said. "I started getting butterflies but then I shook hands with him and I was fine. My dad shook his hand as well because he was really pleased he got to meet him.

"I wanted to meet him because he was my hero really. I could not live without saying 'thank you for saving me'. If it was not for him I would not be here today."

Father Darren Green reached out to Steve via Facebook in order to arrange for the two to meet, talk about what had happened and express thanks.

"Kingsley is now at an age where he understands," Mr Green said. "Fortunately for him, Steve did save him, otherwise he would not be here today.

"The meeting was a relief more than anything because it put closure to a very serious incident that happened. For me to personally thank Stephen and have Kingsley by my side, that's the least I could have done."

They travelled from their home in Scotton, North Yorkshire, to Mr Turner's house on Rinkfield in Kendal on Sunday afternoon.

"It was Kingsley's birthday last week and he's been talking about the person who saved his life and how he would like to meet him," explained Mr Turner.

"It was weird in a way. I'm not shy or scared or nervous to meet people but it just felt weird. He was nervous as well.

"We spoke about it and what he's doing with his life. It was good that he came over."

On the day of the incident, Kingsley had been playing with his sister Caitlin, then nine, and brother Kai, then three, on a slipway when he fell into the water.

His mother Sarah Green, who lived in Fairway at the time, ran out to the shore to see her son floating face down 30 yards out.

"I was playing with my older sister and she jumped on to this boulder," Kingsley recalled. "She stood on it so the waves would not get her and I tried running towards her and then the sea came in and took me away. I remember trying to get back up to breathe and because I hadn't had swimming lessons I did not know how to swim. That's all I remember before I became unconscious."

When the incident took place, Mr Turner was taking part in a fishing competition on Rossall Promenade, near Thornton Cleveleys, when he heard shouting.

"I got right up to the crowd," Mr Turner said. "I said: 'What's going on?' and somebody said that a little lad had fallen in.

"I said I will go in, someone else raise the alarm and we will take it from there."

Stripping down to his pants and socks, the fisherman dived into the freezing cold water and swam out to the boy who was, by then, unconscious.

"I swam out to him with a life ring and I got to him and I pulled his head back out of the water," Mr Turner said. "I put this life ring on him and held him inside the ring. Somebody had the rope so as I was swimming back in with him they were pulling to make it quicker."

Back on shore a male nurse then resuscitated the youngster before the ambulance arrived.

The 52-year-old said that as somebody who 'knows the sea', he did not hesitate to jump into the water and adrenaline then kicked in.

"Because I've been a good swimmer, I'm not scared of water," said Mr Turner. "I've done a bit of life saving before when I was younger. I do fishing, so I know how the sea works. "I've always thought if I'm ever in a situation where I could help I wouldn't hesitate.

Kingsley said that he remembered regaining consciousness and crying in the ambulance, before being taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

And although Kingsley's father said that his son has not been in the sea since the incident, the 12-year-old said that he is 'not bothered' by the water.

"When I am older I want to be a navy engineer," Kingsley said. "And if someone experienced what I experienced I would know what to do because that's what Stephen did for me."

Steve, who has been nicknamed 'The Hoff' by friends, wants to keep in touch with Kingsley and has plans to visit him at his home in North Yorkshire.

"I cannot say thank you enough really for what he did," Mr Green said. "If it was not for him and his actions my son would not be stood beside me. He started off as a stranger and now he's my Kingsley's hero and hopefully a lifelong friend."