A KIND-hearted man has been named a hero for saving a woman from drowning in the Bridgewater Canal.

On Tuesday, Chris Edge was walking his dog at 5.30am near to Barnfield Avenue in Runcorn when he noticed a woman struggling in the water.

He said: "I saw a splashing and a black shiny coat.

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing."

Chris quickly tied up his dog and managed to pull the woman, who was trying to shout for help, out of the water.

He explained: "She was blue, she was exhausted, she was barely above the water- it was above her shoulders.

"I gave her my coat and made sure she was warm."

Emergency services arrived soon afterwards to take the woman to hospital.

The woman's son has since expressed his family's gratitude towards Chris' brave actions.

He said: "He’s a true hero and I'd like him to know that what he’s done far surpasses anything I could ever do for him.

"Chris just happened to be going past.

"I’ve always believed that everything, good or bad, happens for a reason, and that him travelling that way on Tuesday morning is the greatest gift my family could ever receive.

"My Dad, my brother, and our huge extended family are eternally grateful to him."