A young boy with autism and communication difficulties has been recognised by Barry Dock RNLI after spotting two boys in danger off Sully Island and alerting his dad, prompting a lifeboat rescue.
Leo was enjoying one of his regular visits to the beach with his dad, Ash, near the Captain's Wife in Sully when he noticed something nobody else had seen.
Two boys were in trouble in the water.
Leo has Autism and Global Development Delay, which means he experiences significant difficulties with communication.
Although he loves visiting the coast and watching the movement of the sea, his diagnosis means he can find it difficult to start conversations or spontaneously draw attention to things happening around him.
On this occasion, however, Leo turned to his dad and told him he thought two boys were in trouble.
Knowing how difficult it can be for Leo to speak up in this way, Ash immediately realised something must be seriously wrong.
Looking towards the island, he could see the boys were in danger. One was already up to his chest in water and struggling against the current as he tried to make his way back to the mainland, while the incoming tide was making conditions increasingly hazardous.
Ash immediately contacted HM Coastguard and remained on the telephone as the rescue operation got under way.
Barry Dock RNLI's D-class inshore lifeboat was launched to help the boys, who had been caught out by the rapidly rising tide and strong currents.
Despite it being dark, Leo and Ash remained on the shore and watched as the volunteer lifeboat crew reached the boys and brought them safely ashore.
Ash, Leo's dad, said: "I'm so unbelievably proud of Leo and what he did that day. Because of his significant challenges, I was surprised and so impressed that he was able to show the level of awareness and do the right thing by telling me that he thought two boys were in trouble.
"When I looked towards the island and realised what was happening, I knew we needed to get help straight away.
I'm so pleased that Leo spotted them and spoke up. It could have been a very different story if he hadn't raised the alarm.
"Seeing him recognised by the RNLI has been wonderful. He absolutely deserves it, and I couldn't be prouder of him."
When volunteers at Barry Dock RNLI later heard about Leo's actions, they were so impressed that they invited him and his dad to visit the lifeboat station so they could thank him personally.
Last week, Leo was given a special tour of the station, where he had the opportunity to explore both the all-weather lifeboat and the D-class inshore lifeboat and meet some of the people involved in saving lives at sea.
During the visit, he met Coxswain Andy Gavan, mechanic Jules, visiting mechanic Ed from the Isle of Man, volunteer crew member Nick and volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Lisa.
The highlight of the visit was a special presentation recognising Leo's actions.
The crew presented him with a certificate thanking him for his awareness and for speaking up after spotting that the two boys were in difficulty.
For Leo, who can find verbal communication challenging, the decision to tell his dad what he had seen was particularly significant. For the lifeboat crew, the visit provided an opportunity to recognise someone whose actions had made a real difference.
Andy Gavan, Coxswain at Barry Dock RNLI, said "Leo is an absolutely brilliant young man, and it was a real pleasure to welcome him and his dad to the station."What makes this story so special is that Leo spotted something was wrong and made sure his dad knew about it. He recognised that those boys needed help, and he spoke up.
"We often talk about the importance of people looking out for one another around the coast, and Leo is a perfect example of exactly that.
"His actions meant that his dad was able to raise the alarm and get help on its way and we wanted him to know just how much we appreciated what he did.
"It was lovely to show him around the station, introduce him to some of the crew and present him with his certificate. He's a real star."
The rescue also serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by rapidly changing tides around the South Wales coast, particularly near Sully Island, where visitors can be caught out by incoming tides and strong currents.
Even when the sea appears calm, conditions can change quickly, potentially leaving people stranded or in danger as they attempt to return to shore.
For Barry Dock RNLI's volunteer crew, Leo's story is also a reminder that everyone can play a part in keeping people safe around the coast.
People do not need to be part of a lifeboat crew to make a difference. Simply noticing that somebody is in difficulty and alerting someone who can help can be the first step towards saving a life.
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