TWO HOTEL workers who saved the life of a drowning boy have been honoured by Thames Valley Police (TVP).

Saliya Rajapakse and Ewelina Marsalek, who worked at the Heathrow Marriott Hotel in Ditton Road, Langley, saved four-year-old, John-Henry Birtle after they found him drowning at the bottom of the hotel pool in February.

John-Henry, of Newark, Nottinghamshire, had been underwater for almost nine minutes when he was pulled from the water by his mother, Roseann Birtle, who jumped in to save him. The hotel staff administered CPR for over 20 minutes before his pulse eventually returned.

Last Wednesday both staff members were presented with a Commendation by Chief Constable Francis Habgood of TVP.

John-Henry spent 13 days on life support in Oxford, before being transferred to Nottingham Children’s Hospital for treatment. Doctors initially believed that he would have suffered extensive brain damage due to being starved of oxygen, but his mobility and speech eventually returned, and he has now gone on to make a full recovery.

Mrs Birtle, said: “He was starved of oxygen for 28 minutes. Doctors said he wouldn’t have a good quality of life, he would not walk or talk or be able to recognise us, but he proved them all wrong and actually walked out of hospital five weeks later. He is expected to make a full recovery.”

“We were praying the whole time the lady [Ewelina] was giving him CPR and I had faith that God was going to heal him. He is my miracle boy.”