A COASTGUARD who risked his life to pull a schoolgirl to safety as she clung onto the edge of a cliff, minutes away from plunging 300ft, has been nominated for an award.

Paul Waugh is one of four people shortlisted for the GMTV Beyond The Call of Duty Award - part of this year's Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards.

The volunteer coastguard will appear on GMTV on Tuesday to relive the dramatic rescue attempt.

His story will then be put to a public vote, which will decide the overall winner next Friday.

The 44-year-old, from Skelton, east Cleveland, was nominated after he put his life on the line to rescue a girl hanging from a cliff face near Saltburn.

Mr Waugh climbed down part of the cliff without safety equipment to reach schoolgirl Faye Harrison as strong winds lashed the coastline and darkness set in on a freezing cold night in January.

Faye, 13, was left clinging to tufts of grass for 45 minutes after the ledge she was standing on gave way.

She was trying to return to the top of the cliff after she and three friends got stranded further down.

"I looked over the edge and could just make out Faye's face," said Mr Waugh. "She was shaking and looked very frightened. All our kit was in the coastguard vehicle, which was stuck the other side of a field. But I knew I didn't have time to wait. I couldn't stand there and do nothing."

Mr Waugh positioned himself with his arms around Faye so she could not fall and reassured the frightened teenager for 30 minutes until an RAF helicopter winched her to safety.

The awards ceremony takes place in London on October 9, when all the winners will be revealed.

Mr Waugh said: "I was in Southampton and I got a phone call from GMTV - I thought it was someone taking the mick at first.

"I was in shock. I was in the middle of a shopping centre when they rang and I didn't know what to say. It took a while for it to sink in."

A crew from GMTV visited the area on Monday and interviewed Mr Waugh and Faye.

They will both appear on the famous sofa on Tuesday morning.

"I am a bit nervous," said Mr Waugh. "My family are all over the moon - they couldn't believe it. It's a major shock to the system."

* Coastguards Eric Lorrains and Gordon Hogg were also involved in the rescue. All three became regional winners in the Vodafone Lifesavers Awards after being nominated by Faye. They now join 23 other regional winners to go before a national judging panel later this year. If they win, they will receive an invitation from Gordon Brown to a reception at 10 Downing Street.