Good luck message sent to Bravery Award nominee

10 July 2024

Dyfed Powys Police Federation has sent a good luck message to a member nominated for a bravery award for saving a woman and her dog who fell 20 feet down a dam.

Deputy secretary Ceris Davies said the branch was proud of PC Rhodri Jones, who rescued the woman and her dog at Caban Coch Dam in the Elan Valley.

Rhodri has been nominated for a National Police Bravery Award, with this year's ceremony taking place in London tomorrow (Thursday 11 July).

“We continue to be extremely proud of Rhodri’s actions in rescuing the woman and her dog," said Ceris.

Challenging situation

“It was an incredibly challenging situation, but he showed extraordinary bravery, quick-thinking, and calmness in risking his own life and saving them.

“He is fully deserving of his nomination and we wish him the very best of luck for the awards ceremony.”

Rhodri was sent to the scene with colleague PC Peter Evans on the morning of 19 August last year after a distressed caller reported his two Golden Retrievers had fallen over the edge of the reservoir.

While one dog appeared to be deceased, the other was stranded on the outcrop, alive but badly injured.

The caller’s partner had jumped down onto the nearby sluice, sustaining significant face and arm injuries from the descent before managing to get a hold of the terrified dog.

Extract the victims

But they were stuck on a small platform with a 100-ft drop below them and, with mountain rescue 45 minutes away, the officers had to act.

They forced open the door to an overflow chamber, where Rhodri lowered himself down onto the chamber’s gantry and made a leap onto the edge of the sluice, which was extremely slippery due to recent rainfall. The constable then belly-crawled along the sluiceway until he could reach the victims with a throwline, pulling the pair to a safer position.

Rhodri then waited around 20 minutes for the fire service to help extract the victims from the position he had secured them in.

Rhodri and Ceris will both be attending the National Police Bravery Awards, which are organised by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW).

READ MORE: Fed calls on Government to commit to long-term funding.