A father hailed a hero after saving the life of his baby son is set to relive the drama in front of television cameras.

Sean McNulty, of Woodside Road, Silsden, put his first aid training into action to revive his son, Joshua, when the toddler landed in a water-filled ditch after a three car pile-up.

His actions are to be featured on an episode of the popular BBC show 999 Lifesavers to be screened on Tuesday.

The nightmare unfolded in May 1996 as the family, including Sean's wife, Anne, and other sons Andrew and Daniel, were returning home from a holiday in Great Yarmouth.

A head-on collision caused their Ford Escort to somersault into a ditch at the side of the road.

Dazed, Sean managed to smash his way out of the wrecked car but realised Joshua, who was nine-months old at the time, was missing.

He waded into the ditch to find the child lying motionless and face down in the water.

Fearing the worst, he gave the youngster chest compression using the skills he had been taught as part of his training for his work as trainer of Silsden's junior football team.

With the help of passer-by Alex Hardy, who administered the kiss of life, Joshua started breathing again.

At the time of the accident Sean spoke from his hospital bed and said: "He just sparked into life. He just started coughing and then cried and I knew he was all right."

Sean, 33, suffered a broken shoulder in the accident and collapsed unconscious following his lifesaving actions due to loss of blood from his injuries.

A reconstruction of the events will be shown on the television programme, which is presented by newsreader Michael Buerk and daytime television star Donna Bernard.

Sean told the BBC how he spotted his youngest son: "It just looked like another jumper in the water and, as I managed to wade closer, I realised it wasn't just another jumper, it was my child."

Sean believes that if he and Alex had not taken a first aid course in resuscitation his son would now be dead.

"His little hand twitched, I'll never forget that moment, never," added Sean.

Mr McNulty is well-known in the Aire Valley soccer circles as a goal keeper for Cross Hills and he also runs the under-eight and under-nine teams in his home town.

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