A MAN who drowned at a Bolton beauty spot rescued his pet dog from the murky depths just years before.

David McHugh's body was pulled from Belmont's Blue Lagoon yesterday, nearly 24 hours after he disappeared trying to rescue his seven-year-old son, Daniel, from the water.

The youngster had plunged into the freezing water after an inflatable dinghy, which father and son had been sailing, burst and capsized.

Police are probing the possibility the boat may have snagged on an underwater obstruction at about 2pm on Wednesday.

The youngster was rescued by two Walkden men who bravely dived in to pull him to the bank, as his mum Mandy McDonald and two sisters Amy, five, and Alice, three, who live in Little Hulton, looked on.

But David slipped below the surface. Police frogmen recovered his body at 12.05pm yesterday.

And today, in a tragic twist, David's father, William, revealed that years earlier his son had pulled the family's pet dog to safety from the same reservoir, after the animal began to founder.

Mr McHugh Snr said: "We used to go up there occasionally as a family. One time David was swimming and our dog was following him. It got into trouble and David swam back and rescued the dog, taking it back to the bank.

"He was such a strong swimmer, he had life saving certificates. It's unbelievable that this could happen but anything could have gone on as he tried to hold Daniel. He could have swallowed a mouthful of water."

When the BEN spoke to Mr McHugh's parents at their home in Withycombe Place, Salford, David's body had still not been found.

Mr McHugh and his wife Christine told of their terrible ordeal as they waited for news of their missing son.

Just minutes later they were to be told that David's body had been discovered in the water - officially known as Ward's Reservoir.

Mrs McHugh said: "David had gone up to see Mandy and the children to take them out for the day. He and Mandy had been together for about eight years but weren't living with each other.

"He loved seeing the kids, but probably didn't see them as often as he should have done.

"It's a terrible time. We just don't know what to think. I keep thinking he will be found walking about somewhere.

"Mandy was on the bank with the two girls when it happened. She's absolutely distraught and Amy doted on her dad. She keeps asking where her daddy is."

And his parents, sisters Jacqueline, 36, and Marie, 31, and brother Philip, 35, revealed the lagoon had been a popular childhood playtime place as the family grew up.

Marie said: "We used to go up there all the time. We spent a lot our childhood there. David had a really strong personality. He didn't fear anything."

As the family tried to cope with their devastating loss, Mandy, who lives in Peel Park Crescent, Little Hulton, arrived at the house.

The young mum, who was in tears, was showered with hugs and kisses as the family tried to come to terms with the tragedy.

And last night David's family urged other visitors to the well-known beauty spot to stay off the water.

His eldest sister, Jacqueline, said: "The water looks so peaceful and still but it can be so dangerous. We just want other people to keep off it and realise how dangerous it is.

"We can't thank enough the lads who pulled Daniel to safety and we're so grateful to everybody who helped out in the search."

Yesterday the coroner had been informed of the drowning. David's family plan to lay a wreath in his memory at the reservoir in the coming days.