West Mercia Police officer gets bravery award for water rescue

PC Craig Prewer was nominated for a police bravery award for his actions

A police officer has been honoured at Downing Street for rescuing a man at a disused pumping station.

PC Craig Prewer, from West Mercia Police, was nominated for a police bravery award for his actions.

In November 2020, he rescued a man with hypothermia who had been trapped for four hours in deep water at the abandoned station in Hereford.

Despite the hazards, PC Prewer then returned to the building to make sure no-one else was in danger.

He had responded to reports that a man could be heard shouting for help near the city's sewage works and upon arrival found him trapped in the pitch black building with no floor.

"This incident presented a unique and challenging set of circumstances which PC Prewer overcame in order to save the life of a member of the public," West Mercia Police Federation chairwoman Sarah Cooper, said.

"It makes me incredibly proud to work alongside colleagues who act in such a brave and selfless way to protect our communities, despite the very real risk to their own safety."

PC Prewer, who has been a police officer for 23 years, attended the awards ceremony at a Downing Street reception on Thursday.