'Goosebumps' ahead of ceremony for drowned teen

"I don't think words can put out there how proud I am and how proud my family is."

Callum Baker-Osborne died in Poole, Dorset, in July 2021, when he went to the aid of his young nieces and nephews who got pulled out to sea by a rip tide.

The 18-year-old was described as a hero during an inquest into his death in 2023, and he has been posthumously awarded the King's Commendation for Bravery.

"Speaking about it is giving me goosebumps," his twin brother Ryan says about the upcoming ceremony with the King.

Thirty family members had travelled to Poole for a five-day caravan holiday by the sea when the tragedy occurred.

The children were playing and paddling in water at about knee-depth when the rip current knocked them off their feet.

Callum was last seen trying to hold his seven-year-old sister's head above water before he was swept away.

All of the children at the beach that day survived.

Callum's body was found washed up four days later at Lake Pier in Poole Harbour - about a mile from where he entered the water.

Gallantry awards are given out in recognition of courage and bravery in the face of unimaginable danger.

"So from what we've been told we've got to go meet the King down in London, and it's a massive ceremony," Ryan says about the upcoming event, which will honour his brother's courageous last moments.

"Obviously we have to receive it for Callum and in my head it's like we're… not him you know?

"It's a bit scary to do but we're doing it for him."

Looking back on the tragedy, Ryan recalls: "He helped my niece, but he didn't just help my niece, he helped four or five others as well.

"So in that situation I wish I was next to him so I could have helped him."

Ryan's family has since fundraised for the RNLI who he says were a great support to them during the search operation.

"My mum still to this day speaks about how they brought her in, they let her know every single detail, like what they were doing next, what they've done.

"From the littlest detail, they looked after the family: 'Do you need a tea?' 'Do you want to go for a chat?'"

But Ryan is also grateful to the residents of Poole who helped the family in their hour of need.

"They as a community brought clothes to us," he explains.

"Drinks, food, the amount of messages we had... we just can't even say thank you enough to them."

Since his brothers death, Ryan has been visiting schools to talk to young people about the dangers of swimming in open water, particularly during the summer months.

"I come from Coventry so there's literally no sea around us," he says.

"We've never learnt about a rip tide... about all we get is a swimming lesson.

"Obviously I don't know if it's different down at the coast, but I don't think you'll ever know enough about a rip tide, ever, because it's just instant, you don't see it, it just happens."

Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.