SUNDERLAND striker Duncan Watmore helped save the lives of three holidaymakers in a boat crash while on holiday in Barbados, it is being reported today.

The 23-year-old and his girlfriend were thrown overboard when a catamaran rammed the speedboat they were on.

But he managed to get three passengers out of the water until coastguards rushed to their rescue.

One of the rescued holidaymakers said: “It was scary, life or death. I’m lucky not to be coming back in a box.

“Duncan helped everybody to get on to the boat — he couldn’t have been nicer.”

Watmore suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in December and was ruled out for the season.

The witness continued: "The catamaran was travelling at speed. We assumed it would see us and change course, but it then got closer.

"The next thing we knew it had ploughed straight through the boat.

"It broke the boat in half. Everyone was sent flying into the water."

One passenger reportedly suffered a cut leg and Watmore used his t-shirt to stem the bleeding until she reached hospital.

The Black Cats star and his girlfriend were said to be 'shaken' but unhurt by the incident.