A shy hero who saved four Furness girls from drowning and then simply walked away has finally been named after 45 years.

The rescue was front page news in The Mail in 1972 but there were no pictures of the dramatic incident and no identity for the bold rescuer.

Kevin Coulter, of Prince Street, Dalton, was sorting through things of his elder brother William Coulter, who died around eight years ago, and as it would have been his birthday on Wednesday decided it was time to put a name to the hero.

He said: "My brother Bill waded up to his waist and brought the children ashore.

"Then he just walked off and refsed to give his name."

Mr Coulter said his brother was a 5ft 10in former sergearnt in the Military Police and had served in Palestine.

In later life he worked at Glaxo in Ulverston and lived near the Crown on Walney.

His brother said: "He was a very popular figure."

The front page of The Mail on Saturday, July 8, in 1972 noted: "A shy hero rescued four children from the rising tide on sand dunes at Walney Island yesterday evening and walked off, reusing to give his name and address to grateful parents.

"The man waded into waist-deep water to rescue the young children, who had been cut off by the tide while playing on the dunes behind Westminster Avenue.

"Pamela Valentine, five, Joanne Rimmer, eight, Karen Blackett, five, all of Orcades Avenue, Barrow, and Linda Hughes, nine, of Oakhead Road, Barrow, screamed for help when they realised they were cut off by the tide.

"The alarm was raised by Mrs Tamar Boardman, of Orion Terrace, which overlooks the dunes.

"Barrow police, fire brigade and ambulance were called, but before they arrived on the scene a man in his thirties waded into the water and carried the children to safety, one by one."

Joanne's mother, Mrs Glenda Rimmer, said: "I would like to thank this man from the bottom of my heart.

"If it handn't been for him I do not think the children would be here now."

None of the children were injured in the incident and they said they had seen him before so he was likely to be from walney.

Mrs Rimmer told The Mail: "When we find him we will be able to tank him properly.

"My husband Donald asked him if he would like to come into our house and change into some dry clothes.

"But he said he lived locally and walked off, refusing to tell us who he was.

"Luckily it was not a high tide.

"The man was soaked with water past his waist and one of the children was completely drenched."