Police officers who saved woman in Blackpool sea rescue praised

PC Kerry Marrs, PC Liam Bell, PC Sarah Bell and PC Sam Taylor all helped the woman

Four police officers have been praised for their "brave, selfless and professional actions" after rescuing a woman from the sea.

Lancashire Police said PCs Sarah Bell, Kerry Marrs, Sam Taylor and Liam Bell heard screaming near Blackpool's North Pier just after midnight on 11 May.

They found a woman in her 50s who had been in the water for some time.

The force said they managed to get her back to the beach and performed first aid before she was taken to hospital.

PC Bell said they could "just hear shouting, but couldn't see where it was coming from until we got to the shoreline and saw her in the water".

"This makes it more treacherous, as you don't know where you're stepping, what you're standing on and you could lose your footing at any point," she said.

"It's certainly a very dangerous part of the beach to be on."

The woman was rescued from the water close to Blackpool's North Pier (stock image)

She said the four officers had to think about how to stay safe while also helping the woman.

"Something you often think about is your own safety," she said.

"The goal is to come home from every shift without any injuries and safe and sound.

"But at the same time, we are police officers and we have to act [because] if we don't, people can be seriously injured or lose their life."

She added that it was "a case of either watching someone disappear before our eyes or go in to try and help her".

"I think any officer or member of the public in that situation would have probably done exactly what we did that night," she said.

A force representative said after being taken to hospital for treatment, the woman had now fully recovered.

Ch Supt Karen Edwards said the "brave, selfless and professional actions of these police officers no doubt saved the life of this lady".

"Two of the officers went into the sea to rescue her and their colleagues then performed first aid as her condition deteriorated," she said.

She said they "made swift, risk-based decisions", adding that she was "proud of all four officers involved" and wanted to "recognise their heroic actions in difficult and challenging conditions".