A Telford man today revealed how his son had saved his life after he fell down a flight of steps and smashed his ankle, leaving him unable to get help.

Dennis O’Keefe landed in a pool of water after the fall in the Scottish Highlands and could do nothing to crawl to safety.

The stricken 66-year-old, of Donnington, was only rescued when his son, Ashley, realised he was missing and went to look for him.

Mr O’Keefe said today that he would have died of hypothermia if 26-year-old Ashley had not come to the rescue.

Mr O.Keefe, of Coronation Drive, had been on a family holiday in Lochearnhead, Perthshire, when he fell on November 8.

He said: “I was out on the balcony on the morning of our last day to take some last minute pictures.

“I slipped on a single leaf on the metal steps and hit my head before tumbling down into a water-filled dip near Loch Earn.

“As soon as I hit the floor I knew I had broken my ankle, the foot was swinging back and forth – the pain was horrific.”

Mr O’Keefe shouted for help before his son came to his rescue 20 minutes later.

Ashley of Mill Lane, Wellington, then dragged his father up the bank and out of the water.

Mr O’Keefe said: “The doctors told me if Ashley hadn’t have come as soon as he did, I would have died from hypothermia.

“It just proves how strong our family is, my children have been great, I am so grateful.”

Mr O’Keefe was taken to Stirling Royal Infirmary where he had to have two plates and two pins put into his fractured foot.