A team of Special Constables has been hailed after saving the life of a 15-year-old boy from floodwaters in Nantwich.
The teenager, from Nantwich, was minutes away from being engulfed by floods in the River Weaver when he was rescued in a combined police and fire service operation.
First on the scene at Waterlode were Special Constables Stefan Williams and Ashley Wood who could hear the boy’s desperate cries for help.
With the pathways under water, officers used their local knowledge to navigate through fields where they could see the boy submerged with water up to his chin and clinging to a tree.
Despite treacherous conditions, 28-year-old SC Williams, a deliveries manager, and has volunteered as a Special Constable for the past three years, entered the water to waist height while tethered to ropes his colleagues SC Wood and SC James Norton were feeding to him.
The boy, who had the onset of hypothermia, could not see the rescue rope thrown to him and was becoming extremely distressed.
Despite this, officers, including Special Inspector Grant Williams, maintained visual and verbal contact with the boy until Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service firefighters arrived.
Alongside SC Woods, they successfully managed to rescue the boy and take him to Leighton Hospital for a medical assessment.
The rescue happened on Saturday October 26 between 10.30pm and 11pm.
A following area search was required after reports he was not alone and other friends may be at risk.
Conducted in dangerous conditions, the search ceased only when the friends were subsequently confirmed as safe and well at home.
SC Williams said: “When we first got to the scene I thought it was a job for the fire service, but when I saw the boy I knew there was no time to wait for assistance.
“I could hear him shouting “help me, I don’t want to die”.
“Then the adrenaline took over, as all I could think of was doing everything I could do to save him.
“I am just very glad I was in the right place at the right time and with enough knowledge of that area to know where to look, I am proud that I could help him.”
Special Superintendent Michael Mulqueen added: “I have spoken to the Special Constabulary officers involved to convey to them, personally and on behalf of the Constabulary, sincere gratitude for their outstanding courage and professionalism in helping to spare a family from the terrible loss of a child.
“The policing code is to selflessly run towards danger, to maximise safety of the public we serve and to mitigate the risks to ourselves with professional judgement allied to effective training.
“The officers involved in Saturday night’s operation put these words into action and, thankfully, a boy is alive today as a result.”
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5 teenagers alerted the police about their findings of this man shouting out for help. He was holding onto a tree near to the rear of the swimming baths, not across fields.
The teenagers and myself who used my tractor lights to help light up the area where he was holding on to a tree shouting for help, the police did manage to recover him safely.
The police came to the bridge where we were stood watching it all unfold and asked for the teenagers names etc and thanked them for making the call, it saved his life! Glad he’s all OK and recovered from his ordeal.
Right place right time by the teenagers who were walking home from spooktacular.
Actually this information is all wrong me and my other 4 friends helped to save this boy I rang in and no one else was there at that moment in time we were the first people to stop and the first people to hear the screams. The police even wrote our names down and thanked us for saving a life. I think we should at least be mentioned as it was out doing.
What about the person who rode to the police and told them he needed help