A SELFLESS former Taunton School student has been praised for pulling out of a major yacht race to help with a sea rescue.

Midshipman Edward Pearson was two hours into the race off the Isle of Wight when he and his colleague, Sub Lieut Richard Burns, spotted an overturned catamaran.

The vessel’s crew of eight, including four teenagers, were struggling in the water, and Edward and Richard quickly sacrificed their place in the Round the Island contest to go to the rescue.

They took six of the crew on board their Monochile vessel after they had been hauled to safety by the RNLI.

Edward, who left Taunton School in 2010, said: “When I saw the yacht capsize I knew we were in the best place to assist.

“It was a natural thing to do.”