A GRANDFATHER from Weymouth had an emotional reunion on a popular television show.

Mervyn Wright, 57, from Broadwey, will appear in a special Remembrance episode of Surprise Surprise.

Mr Wright, who served with the Second Royal Tank Regiment in Northern Ireland in the 1970s, was hailed a hero when he rescued a 22-month-old baby from drowning in a bog.

Presenter Holly Willoughby handed Mr Wright a letter from the person whose life he saved, now a man in his 40s.

He was also presented a replacement medal. The original, received for his service in Northern Ireland, was stolen in a burglary in the 1980s.

Mr Wright, who is now retired, said: “It felt like a dream.

“I was told I was taking part in a documentary and they put me up in a hotel and gave us tickets to be in the show’s audience, so I had no idea what was going to happen.

“Everything was just fantastic, I can’t believe it.”

The ruse was set up by Mr Wright’s daughter Vicky Briggs, who applied for the show on her dad’s behalf.

Mrs Briggs, who also lives in Weymouth, said: “Saving the baby is not something dad’s ever really spoken about, but we have an old newspaper article, so I knew the story.

“The regiment were called in to help and dad went off on his own and found the baby almost drowning in the bog.

“He went in to get him out while the bog was rising up to his neck, and managed to lift the baby out.

“I’m so proud of him.”

Mr Wright, who said the show was ‘very emotional’, was not even sure if the youngster he rescued would even remember what had happened.

He said: “In the letter, which I was asked to read out, he said his mum and dad kept a scrap book for him and spoke to him about it all the time.

“It really hit home then for the first time that I saved his life.”

Catch the show on ITV from 7pm on Sunday.

  •  Still on stage, Mr Wright was reunited with old friends from his years in the army.

He said: “We have kept in touch but we haven’t met up for more than 34 years so it was just unbelievable. I still can’t believe it all happened.”

Catch the show on ITV from 7pm on Sunday, November 10.