An 8-year-old boy in Wales kept his cool in the water, and that helped save his grandfather’s life.

Marley Jones received a bravery medal after he helped rescue his grandfather, David “Dai” Jones, when their kayak capsized during a family holiday in Fontygary, in the Vale of Glamorgan, earlier this month.

The pair had gone kayaking when the vessel overturned, according to the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. Dai managed to get Marley back onto the kayak, but could not climb back in himself.

As they drifted in the currents of the Bristol Channel, Dai held onto the side of the kayak while Marley used a mobile phone kept in a waterproof bag to call his grandmother, who then contacted emergency services.

“When I called my Nan, I told her I was okay, but Granscha [Dai] looked like he was drowning and we needed help,” Marley said, according to the RNLI.

HM Coastguard then asked the RNLI to launch a lifeboat. Crew members sent out a D-class lifeboat toward Limpet Bay, where they found the pair after the kayak had drifted about 4 kilometres in less than 30 minutes.

“I was getting tired and cold and there was a point where I wasn’t sure I’d make it,” Dai recalled, per the rescue agency. “But I was trying to stay positive and keep calm for Marley because I didn’t want him to be frightened.”

“He showed real maturity and stayed level-headed throughout,” said Andy from the RNLI.

Dai and Marley were taken back to shore, where Coastguard volunteers treated them.

A few days later, Marley, Dai and Marley’s father, Joe, returned to the lifeboat station to meet the crew who rescued them. Marley was presented with a medal for his bravery and cool-headedness, and was taught how to “float to live” if he gets into trouble in the water.

“Marley and Dai did exactly the right things when they found themselves in difficulty,” Andy said, according to the organisation. “They were both wearing lifejackets, they had a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch, they called for help when they realised they were unable to get safely back to shore, and they stayed with the kayak.”

Dai also thanked the rescuers who came to help.

“From the moment the lifeboat arrived, I knew we were in safe hands,” he said.

He said Marley was proud of the medal.

“Marley was so proud to receive his medal and we’ll never forget it,” he said.

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