Awards for West Mercia Police officers after river rescue

PCs Lee Phillips (right) and Christopher Donovan (left) saved the man's life, the police federation said

Two policemen who saved a person from the River Severn in Shropshire have been honoured at an awards ceremony.

West Mercia PCs Lee Phillips and Christopher Donovan entered the water in order to rescue the man from a stretch of the river in Shrewsbury.

They received accolades at the Police Bravery Awards held in London on Tuesday.

Sarah Cooper, who chairs West Mercia Police Federation, said they had saved the man's life.

The officers were among a group called to reports of a man behaving inappropriately in the town centre on 2 February 2019.

When they attempted to speak to the man, the federation said, he ran off before jumping a fence to the riverside and was seen swimming downstream.

The pair were honoured at the Police Bravery Awards held in London on Tuesday

The two officers, it said, watched him while calling for support from other emergency services, but saw the man struggling.

They made the decision to enter the river, the federation added, and pulled him out.

The officers administered initial first aid before the ambulance service arrived and later assessments at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital showed "concerning levels of oxygen depletion and signs of hypothermia".

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"They used their local knowledge to pre-empt where this man would be swept to when they knew he was struggling in the river and were incredibly quick-thinking in their actions," Ms Cooper said.

"Their rapid response and their bravery saved this man's life."