THE Mayor of Worcester has honoured three Pershore High School students at a reception at Worcester Guildhall.

Charlotte Whitehead, Callum Strickland and Tom Banks, all aged 15, were praised for rescuing a man and his dog from the river Severn in Worcester.

They, along with family members, were treated to tea and cakes in the Mayor's parlour and had a tour of the Guildhall before being presented with a bravery certificate and a ceramic plate.

The teenagers are taking Sports Studies as part of their GCSEs and as one of their disciplines, are members of Worcester Canoe Club.

They met up for a trip intending to head up the Severn to The Camp House at Grimley but on the way found a man who had fallen in the river whilst trying to rescue his dog.

The man was shivering and hanging onto a tree on the river bank while holding his golden Labrador in waist high waters.

Tom Banks spotted the man and alerted his fellow canoeists, and they put their emergency training into action. Pershore High headteacher Clive Corbett said: "Through their quick thinking, calmness and team work they were able to get both the man and the dog into the boat and took them to a place of safety where they were able to climb up the banks to the where the man’s wife was waiting.

"All associated with Pershore High School are so proud of their achievement and this well earned recognition."