Public-spirited passers-by who pulled a drowning cyclist from a canal are to be nominated for a police honour.

Phil Clarkson, of Baildon, and Beverley Healey, of Silsden, are being put forward for a Divisional Commander’s Award for their part in helping pull a 35-year-old man out of the Leeds Liverpool Canal late last month after he suffered a fit and fell in.

They have been praised for their actions by Bradford South senior officers, who said they may well have helped to save the man’s life.

Mr Clarkson was on the canalside near Keighley on June 29 when he spotted the cyclist, who had crashed into the water after having an epileptic fit. Mr Clarkson jumped in and tried to haul him out.

The man had been floating face-down and was only held up by a life vest.

Mrs Healey, who was jogging past, came to help and together they were able to get the man out of the water.

Inspector Darren Brown, of Bradford South Police, said: “These people were not paid or expected to do what they did. They simply saw another human being in potentially life-threatening distress and acted."

e-mail: kathie.griffiths@telegraphandargus.co.uk