Members of Stafford Local Policing Team – Uniformed Hero nomination

Members of Stafford Local Policing Team – Uniformed Hero nomination

Members of Stafford Local Policing Team helped to prevent a serious injury or death by stopping a woman from falling from a bridge onto the M6 motorway.

They held her arm and legs and at one point took her full bodyweight when she became unconscious.

The team involved have been nominated in the Uniformed Hero category of the Your Heroes Awards by senior officers at Staffordshire Police. They include Sgt Ewan Lunn, Sgt Lewis Hodgkiss, PC Blake Fox, PC Rick Shingler, PC Victoria Knowles, PC Kyle Cooper, PC Akash Hussain and PC Lucy Priest.

They were called to reports of a woman on a bridge over the M6 through Staffordshire.

A police spokesperson said: “The female was the wrong side of the barrier over the M6 Motorway and was being held by a member of the public. Officers have attended and have begun to engage with the female who was visibly upset and clearly in crisis.

“The dynamics quickly changed when the female had begun to lean forward, actively attempting to fall from the bridge.

“Officers have immediately taken a grip of the female holding both her arm and legs. At one point she has lost consciousness and officers have been required to hold her full bodyweight to prevent her from falling.

“With quick thinking from the officers, they have used this as an opportunity to drag the female over the barrier to safety.

“The incident was both physically and mentally demanding. The officers have demonstrated the upmost professionalism and dynamic decision making throughout.

“This could certainly have resulted in serious injury or even a fatality, but their swift actions meant the female was brought to safety. I believe that this excellent piece of police work deserves some recognition.”