A SPORTS centre manager has praised his lifeguards after they saved a man from drowning at a Trowbridge swimming pool.

The drama unfolded at 9.45pm on Monday night when a man lost consciousness during a public swimming session at Clarendon Sports Centre, and slipped under the water.

Spotting the swimmer's distress, two on-duty lifeguards dived in within seconds, and pulled the man to safety.

Horrified onlookers watched as the man, who is in his 40s, was pulled out of the water and onto the poolside.

Wiltshire's Air Ambulance was scrambled and pitched close to the Frome Road sports centre, just before 10pm.

The swimmer was taken to the Royal United Hospital in Bath but has since been released.

Manager Matt Wise said his staff were brave, but just doing what they were trained for.

"I was proud with the way the situation was handled. They reacted in the way they were trained," he said.

"What they did though was brilliant and they saved a man's life.

"I have heard the man is fine now and is doing well, although we have not been told details of what caused him to become unconscious.

"Luckily he started breathing as soon as they pulled him out, so we did not need to perform CPR.

"It could have been a nasty story but we did what we are here for.

"I have spoken to all of the lifeguards involved and have praised them for what they did. Thankfully this sort of thing does not happen very often but we make sure our lifeguards are both fully trained and fully qualified."

One bystander, who witnessed the event, said the lifeguards reacted within seconds of the man falling unconscious.

"Who knows what could have happened but for the heroics of the two young lifeguards who got him out and resuscitated him," he said.

"He was so blue. It was fantastic what they did.

"It was a male and female lifeguard and it was absolutely incredible, very frightening, but they were wonderful."

All lifeguards at the DC Leisure-owned facility undergo rigorous training to ensure they are equipped to deal with most medical emergencies.