Yorkshire based soldier hailed as life-saver

A 22-year-old soldier and another man, aged 56, helped to save the woman after they spotted her in the River Severn near Washbrook Road in Bridgnorth.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said it would be writing to the soldier’s commanding officer and to the second man in recognition of their efforts “to help a member of the public in extremely difficult and dangerous conditions”.

The ambulance service was called to reports of a woman in her 50s being in the river.

A spokesman for the service said: “A 56-year-old man initially went into the water to try and help. He was joined shortly afterwards by a 22-year-old-soldier who was walking home at the time.

“The soldier went into the water up to his shoulders and held the woman afloat until firefighters were able to bring them both to the shore.”

The other rescuer was helped out of the water by his wife.

The woman was suffering from the effects of hypothermia and was semi-conscious. She was assessed at the scene before being taken to the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford for further treatment.

The soldier, who is based at Catterick Barracks in North Yorkshire and serves with the Mercian Regiment, was assessed at the scene and did not require hospital treatment.

The second man was also uninjured, the West Midlands Ambulance spokesman said.