A TEENAGER who was pulled unconscious from the bottom of a lake on Sunday (May 23) is still in a critical condition in hospital tonight.

The unnamed 18-year-old, who is from the Harlow area, got into difficulties while swimming with friends at a lagoon close to Broxbourne Sailing Club in Meadgate Road, Nazeing.

It has emerged that the youth suffered a cardiac arrest at the scene and was lying about 15 feet underwater when he was pulled to safety by windsurfing instructor Martin Wood.

The incident happened just weeks after thieves stole the engines from a set of emergency rescue boats at the shoreline at the neighbouring Enfield Scout Sailing Club, leaving the group to get by only with less-powerful and slower vessels.

Mr Wood, who was at Broxbourne Sailing Club at the time, was alerted by the screams of the youth's friends at around 4.45pm, and rushed out to help.

He dived under the water three times before finding the teen, who is believed to have been under for several minutes.

Rescue teams and paramedics arrived minutes later and rushed him to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow.

A “deeply upset” Mr Wood said his thoughts were with the teenager's family and he was reluctant to speak about what had happened.

He said: “It was a team effort. Lots of people were there helping me drag him out of the water and trying to help him.

“It was just luck that I found him. You can't see a lot down there, the water is murky, but on the third attempt I touched his leg.

“I just hope he pulls through. I can't imagine the trauma his parents are going through.

"It has been very upsetting.”

Membership Secretary Hazel Town was working at the club's bar at the time of the incident.

She said: “I think a group of girls and boys were having a nice picnic and going for a swim in the hot weather. But suddenly two girls came running up in tears, screaming and there was panic.

“Martin was marvellous with what he did, although he is quite upset by it all.”

Marion Caslake, of the Enfield Scout Sailing Association, said the incident demonstrated how the thieves who stole the engines from emergency rescue boats at her club were potentially putting lives in danger.

She said: “We were at the other end of the lake and although it didn't have anything to do with us we were going to help, but the emergency services arrived very quickly before we could.

“We would have been able to put a boat in the water within a few minutes using the old [stolen] engines but instead it took us quite a while.”

An earlier report in the Guardian on Sunday quoted Essex Fire and Rescue Service which indicated that the youth was 15 years old - however it has since been confirmed that he is 18.