A young skiing star has told how he saved a man's life while on a half-term holiday in Austria.

Joseph Overton, 11, was skiing down a mountain when an avalanche engulfed a group of Australians skiing just ahead of him.

Without a moment's thought, the youngster, who attends Holmwood Preparatory School, Colchester, and his instructor changed course and rushed to the man's aid, digging him out of the snow.

He said: "We were skiing down the hill when we came to an alleyway and we were just deciding whether to ski down it when we heard a scream.

"We went down the alley and we found five snowboarders - one had been buried in the avalanche.

"My instructor used his bleeper to find where the man was and I helped him to dig the man out of the snow.

"He had a broken leg and was in shock, but fortunately his friends had rung for help and the helicopter came and picked him up."

Although he admits to being a bit scared, the experience has not put Joseph off skiing - he even had his own trainer in Austria as he became too good for the ski school classes.

"My grandma and grandad first took me skiing when I was six and I've loved it ever since," he said.