Officers risk lives to save woman on river bank

A VOLUNTEER police officer and a PC put their lives at risk to save a missing woman who was stuck on the banks of a fast flowing river.

Special Constable Ffion Jenkins and PC Adam Newell were part of a team of officers searching for the woman in Carmarthen, when they spotted her in a channel of mud and water on the edge of the River Towy.

Discovering that she was stuck and had no way of getting herself out, the pair scrambled down the bank without hesitation to get her to safety.

Inspector Kerry Scoberg said: “This was an incredibly selfless piece of policing by SC Ffion Jenkins and PC Adam Newell, who were determined to rescue the woman and ensure she was safe and well.

“All officers involved in this search are to be commended for their selfless actions, team work, tenacity and professionalism, but special thanks go to Ffion and Adam who undoubtedly saved the life a distressed woman.”

SC Ffion Jenkins

 

Dyfed-Powys Police received a call reporting concerns for a woman’s safety at around 8pm on Saturday, March 13.

Officers were immediately dispatched to the woman’s home to speak with family members and gain any indication of where she might have gone. They discovered she had left her keys and bank card behind, but had taken her phone with her – although she wasn’t picking up any calls.

A team of officers scoured Carmarthen, checking her places of work, bus stops, the train station and the town centre, with the NPAS helicopter also tasked to search from the air.

At just after 9.30pm, the woman called police to say she was stuck somewhere in the river near Carmarthen, but her exact location was unknown.

Using their local knowledge based on a description of where she was, PC Newell and SC Jenkins – a former police cadet who joined the Special Constabulary in 2019 – quickly found her.

Seeing that the water was fast-flowing and the woman had no way of freeing herself from the mud, the pair wasted no time in making their way down to her.

“The bank was extremely slippery and dangerous, but they made their way down to her as quickly as possible,” Insp Scoberg said.

“Despite the woman being in a distressed state, they were able to stay calm and keep her in conversation until other officers arrived to help.”

PC Newell managed to get himself behind the woman and was able to pull her out of the mud, before getting her out of the channel and away from the water with assistance.

The woman was taken to hospital to be checked over, and for the appropriate help and support to be put in place.

Insp Scoberg said: “This incident goes to show how our officers work together as a team to achieve the best results – and emphasises the important contribution Special Constables make to the force.

“Ffion, who was formerly one of our police cadets is one of our many Specials who give up their own time to join our officers on duty across the force, and I’m sure her contribution is very much appreciated on this and every shift.”

* Special Constables are volunteer officers who give up their time to police their communities. Dyfed-Powys Police is currently recruiting for its Special Constabulary. For information on how to apply, click here