Hugh Jackman rescues son from rip tide at Bondi Beach

Big screen hero Hugh Jackman turned real life hero this weekend as he was spotted rescuing his son and daughter from a rip tide at Bondi Beach in Sydney.

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According to the Guardian, a witness, called Lynzey Murphy, told Sydney's Sunday Telegraph that conditions changed very quickly but Jackman stayed calm throughout.

She said: "When we got in the water 20 minutes earlier it was fine. Then the water just came up suddenly.

"Hugh just pulled them calmly on to the sandbar. He then said, 'All right, we are going to walk towards the flags.'"

The site adds that Jackman was too shaken to speak to TV crews after the incident.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Peter Adam, a man who was in the surf at the time, told Nine News Jackman's daughter, Ava, was also in difficulty and that Mr Adam said he was helping her at the time.

He said: "(Jackman) wasn't rescuing me, I was assisting him to get his daughter up to the sandbar. He then grabbed my hand to get us up. He then went to get his son."

The actor, who owns an apartment in the area, was also seen waving to other swimmers to alert them to the danger.

Hugh has just returned home to Australia after a world tour promoting his new film, Eddie the Eagle.