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Swim training gives croc attack twin 'flashbacks'

Georgia Laurie Georgia and Melissa with a garden fence behind them. They are both wearing shirts and denim skirts.Georgia Laurie
Georgia Laurie (right) saved her twin sister Melissa from a crocodile three years ago

A woman who saved her twin sister from a crocodile attack has said training for an upcoming charity swimming race gave her "flashbacks" to the incident.

Georgia Laurie, from Sandhurst in Berkshire, punched the crocodile in the face when it attacked her twin Melissa in Mexico in June 2021.

The pair, who both suffer from PTSD following the attack, are taking part in the 8 mile (13km) Thames Marathon swim on Sunday.

Melissa told the BBC that, while training for the swim, Georgia had suffered a "wobble" because the setting was "quite similar to what happened in Mexico".

Georgia said: "I think just seeing the nature around, like seeing the reed beds sort of reminded me of the mangroves, and were swimming breaststroke which is what we were doing right before and we saw the crocodiles."

Melissa recalled the moment she was saved by her sister from a crocodile attack in an interview with the BBC

"It was just a flashback really, but I think I just calmed my breathing and just had to remind myself that it's safe, and I overcame it," she said.

The twins had been swimming in a lagoon near Puerto Escondido in June 2021, when Melissa was dragged under the water by the reptile.

Both were treated in hospital where Melissa developed sepsis and was put into a medically-induced coma.

Melissa said training in the River Thames was "quite spooky" because "not being able to see the bottom is quite disorientating".

She said: "It takes you to a place, doesn't it?"

Georgia Laurie Georgia and Melissa both dressed very smartly with a stained glass window behind themGeorgia Laurie
Georgia and Melissa want to raise money for good causes

They are raising money for a mental health charity in the UK to support people with PTSD, as well as a charity in Mexico.

"We just want to give back to the community and help people who helped us," Melissa said.

"It helps with our healing as well."

Georgia said: "I think when you go through trauma, you can go through such a long period of darkness and just putting in one foot in front of the other is quite difficult, but as soon as you set yourself a goal that you can work towards, it makes waking up easier.

"Something to focus on really does help your mind, and it certainly helped give us focus and meaning back to our life."

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