A VALE man who saved a mum and three children from drowning has been named as one of the 11 winners in the inaugural Pride of Scotland Awards.

John Haughie, 32, from Tullichewan, has been named as the winner of the Outstanding Bravery prize after he saved Katrina McCallie, her sister Lewis, and her children Poppy and Ben.

In September the Reporter exclusively revealed how John, an HGV driver and Army reservist for 7 Scots, was relaxing on the sand in Arisaig, near Fort William, when he heard his partner Cheryl and daughter Kiera screaming and cries for help.

Ben 14, his sister Poppy, nine, and eight-year-old Lewis were playing in the sea, but a strong undercurrent had pulled them out into deeper water.

Katrina ran into the sea to help them, despite not being able to swim – but hadn't realised how sharply the seabed dropped away, and was quickly in trouble herself.

READ MORE: How Vale hero John saved family from drowning during a day at the beach

But John ran into the water and dived under the surface to grab the three drowning children and Katrina and dragged all four of them to safety.

Recounting the experience to the Reporter earlier this year, John said: “I only did what I would have expected anyone else to do."

John is one of 11 winners announced by the award organisers on Friday.

Other recipients include rugby icon Doddie Weir OBE, who is honoured for his extraordinary fund-raising efforts for people with motor neurone disease, Dame Laura Lee, the founder of the Maggie's cancer care charity, and the people of the island of Bute, who receive the Community Hero award for the welcome they showed to the Syrian refugee families who settled on the island in 2015.

The inaugural awards ceremony will be screened on STV and the STV Player at 10.45pm on Hogmanay.

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