Two men who saved a woman from drowning in the sea have been given a bravery award.

Flatmates Russell Wood and David Camici, of Dorset Gardens, Kemp Town, Brighton, plunged into the sea opposite The Zap Club in June last year after spotting the woman struggling as she got out of her depth.

The woman had walked purposefully into the water in what is believed to have been a suicide attempt.

Russell, 24, and David, 30, noticed other people splashing around in the shallower water were having difficulties returning to shore because of the swell.

They watched in horror as the woman disappeared farther out to sea.

Russell, a jeweller at Kellerwood Jewellers, Brighton, swam out first and took 20 minutes to find the woman, who he had almost given up for dead.

But the woman, who had Down's syndrome, tried to fight him off. David realised he would have to swim out to help his friend so he stripped off to his underwear and told people on the beach to call the coastguard.

David said: "It was pitch black and I was trying to keep an eye on Russell from the shore. At one point I had lost sight of him and they were being dragged out to the point that they were farther out than the pier.

"We drifted beyond the West Pier and had to guide her through all the pier debris. We couldn't see a thing except for the metal bits from the pier."

The pair tried to calm the woman down and managed to get the attention of the coastguard's helicopter and Brighton Lifeboat.

The woman was taken to hospital and Russell later received treatment for hypothermia after having been in the cold water for about 40 minutes.

Brighton and Hove Mayor David Smith presented the pair with the Royal Humane Society's testimonial on parchment certificate at the town hall last night.

Brighton RNLI nominated the pair for the award.

David, who is a sales and project manager in Brighton, said: "We were surprised because we thought we did something anybody would do.

"But it's nice to be appreciated and recognised.

"Mind you, I would prefer it if the mayor was presenting me with a parking permit."

Alan Young, operations manager for Brighton Lifeboat, said: "They risked their lives to save the life of someone they didn't know, which is unusual these days."