after he rescued a woman from drowning.

Hooker Mr. Tim Winkleman leapt into action when he heard screams from the woman who was in serious difficulty in the sea off Maracas Bay.

Mr. Winkleman, 33, of St. George's, rushed into the sea and swam to the aid of the panic-stricken Trinidadian.

He was able to pull her part of the way back to the beach before he was joined by a lifeguard.

Mr. Winkleman is on tour with the Barbarians. He was relaxing on the beach with his team-mates when the drama occurred.

The team's fly half, Mr. Alan Oliver yesterday phoned The Royal Gazette to tell the story from Trinidad.

"We were on the beach on a rest day when we heard the woman screaming for help,'' he said. "She had got into real trouble because of the undercurrent.

"Tim was the nearest person to where she was and he ran into the sea. He reached her first and started to pull her back in. He was then helped by the lifeguard and they got her back onto dry land.

"She was all right. Just a little shaken up. She was in her 40s and had been on the beach with her family. We did not get her name.

"We are celebrating tonight. Tim is a bit of a hero in Trinidad at the moment.'' Mr. Winkleman hails from Blackpool in England and has been in Bermuda for 13 years. He plays for the Bermuda Police rugby team and plays soccer for St.

David's.

He works for Harbour Radio and his Swedish wife Maria works at the Bombay Bicycle Club Restaurant.

The Barbarians started their tour of Trinidad on Thursday with a 24-0 win over Caribs RFC. They will be competing in a sevens tournament tomorrow.

HAVE-A-GO HERO -- Mr. Tim Winkleman who rescued a drowning woman.