PC Elizabeth McClure and PC Daniel Dredge

A team of courageous officers risked their lives to save a vulnerable woman in crisis who was on a cliff edge.

In March 2025 at around 11:30pm, PCs Adam Gressmann, Daniel Dredge and Elizabeth McClure were on duty when they received a call for assistance regarding a woman who was in crisis at the top of a cliff. Her partner was already at the scene, desperately trying to restrain her and prevent her from going over the edge.

Upon arrival, the officers initially struggled to locate the individuals in the darkness. However, they soon noticed a flicker of light further down the cliff face and quickly realised that the woman had already gone over the edge and was now stranded on a narrow ledge below, with her partner still attempting to hold onto her and prevent her from falling.

The conditions were extremely challenging. It was pitch black and freezing cold. Although the Coastguard had been requested, they had not yet arrived. Faced with an immediate threat to life, the officers made the split-second decision to act without delay, knowingly putting themselves at significant personal risk.

Without any protective equipment or visibility aids, the officers carefully descended the cliff. They had no way of knowing how stable or small the ledge would be until they reached it. Upon arrival, they discovered it was only approximately 10–15 feet in size.

Despite the perilous conditions and limited space, the officers immediately prioritised the safety of the female, who was clearly still in crisis. Working together, they managed to restrain the woman for her safety, just feet from the cliff edge.

The drop below was hundreds of feet. The risk extended not only to the woman but also to the officers, who were in constant danger of being pulled over the edge or losing their footing. Body-worn video captured the concern of colleagues at the top of the cliff, including a moment where one officer nearly slipped while attempting to stand.

With no safe means of returning to the top, the officers remained on the ledge, continuing to restrain and support the woman while awaiting specialist assistance. Throughout this time, they had to maintain control of the situation, whilst preventing the woman from falling, despite the physical and environmental challenges.

Upon arrival, the Coastguard assessed the situation and determined it was too dangerous for anyone to descend without specialist equipment. A rope access rescue system was established, and a Coastguard operative was lowered to the ledge multiple times to safely extract each individual.

Due to the complexity and severity of the incident, the rescue operation took approximately three hours to complete. During this time, the officers remained exposed on the narrow ledge in freezing temperatures and complete darkness, continuing their efforts to preserve life.

Cleveland Police Federation Chair Lauren Somerville said: “It is extremely difficult to comprehend what these officers faced that night, and even harder to find words that do justice to their selflessness and bravery.

“They were fighting for survival in a space no bigger than a single car parking bay, in complete darkness, conditions that are almost impossible to truly imagine. To say I am proud of my colleagues is an understatement. What they demonstrated in that moment goes beyond courage. It speaks to the very core of what policing demands, often unseen and rarely understood.”

Cleveland Police Federation Branch Secretary Carl Baker said: “All the officers in this incident have shown that despite the dangers and risks to them, Police Officers will selflessly put themselves at risk to protect others and safeguard life. The phrase “put your life on the line to save another” is used a lot, however this is exactly what these officers did. 

“It takes unbelievable courage to do what they did. I can’t even imagine what it was like for the officers to be in this situation, how there wasn’t a loss of life that night is miraculous.”

Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said: "Each and every day, our officers demonstrate remarkable bravery, compassion, and dedication to the communities we serve.

"However, this incident goes above and beyond the already high standards of service they uphold. I would like to personally thank PCs Gressman, Dredge and McClure for their exceptional actions.

"These officers did not hesitate to put themselves in harm’s way to protect a vulnerable resident. They acted swiftly, placing themselves in a dangerous situation while maintaining calm, providing reassurance, and supporting the resident’s family during an extremely distressing time. The danger was very real, and their actions were entirely selfless and undeniably courageous. 

"This is Cleveland Police’s values in full effect, being the best, we can be and protecting the most vulnerable people in the communities we proudly and bravely serve."