Courageous police honoured over dramatic river rescue

The Royal Humane Society has praised four North Yorkshire Police officers who saved the life of a man who plunged into the River Derwent at Malton. The man was stopped in a car by Sergeant Andy Stubbings on suspicion of drink-driving, but then ran off and hid on the banks of the river. Despite repeated warnings to stay away from the freezing water, the man jumped into the river and attempted to swim off.

The officers managed to throw a line to the man and dragged him to safety before he was revived by paramedics. He was in the river for 20 minutes before he was rescued on December 1 last year and his body temperature had dropped to 29 degrees. One degree colder could have proved fatal.

The man, from Pickering, later pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and failing to provide a specimen for drink driving. He was banned from driving for five years.

Sgt Stubbings, Traffic Sergeant Neil Campbell, PC Ray Thwaites and PC Emma Collins were presented with the awards at Newby Wiske police headquarters last week. Chief Constable Grahame Maxwell said: “The officers acted in the best traditions of the police service. Their efforts on that dreadful night undoubtedly saved the man’s life.”

The Royal Humane Society was founded in London in 1774 by two eminent medical professionals, William Hawes and Thomas Cogan, keen to promote techniques of resuscitation. More than 85,000 awards have been made.

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