A police officer has been hailed a hero after swimming into the sea at midnight to save a woman heard calling for help off the coast of Milford Haven. PC Spencer Rourke entered the water without hesitation, reaching the woman around 100 metres offshore and guiding her back to safety.

Police received a call at 00:31 on 24 May 2025 from a distressed woman on Hamilton Terrace. She told the call handler that she intended to jump into the sea. Her voice was panicked and emotional, and officers were immediately dispatched to the area.

An initial search proved negative, and a further update from the control room indicated that she was now near Foam beach. Units attended but again found no one in sight.

PC Rourke parked at the rear of Foam and, in the quiet of the early hours, heard a faint sound coming from down the slipway. He and PS Anthony made their way down the slip, listening for any sign of the caller. A woman’s voice could soon be heard, shouting from somewhere out at sea. By torchlight, they located her approximately 100 metres from shore, clearly in distress.

Without hesitation, he removed his kit on the slipway, grabbed a life saving float, and entered the water. As he swam towards her, the woman attempted to move further away, but he quickly caught up with her and managed to take hold of her. With the sea around them and the woman panicking, he began the difficult swim back to shore, keeping her secure the entire time.

Colleagues waiting at the water’s edge helped both of them out of the sea. The woman was brought to safety thanks entirely to PC Rourke’s swift, selfless, and decisive actions.

PS Anthony later said it was clear PC Rourke had saved the woman’s life, describing his actions as “by far above and beyond what would be expected of him in such circumstances.” He praised PC Rourke’s judgement, courage, and willingness to put himself at significant personal risk to protect a vulnerable member of the public.

Chief Constable Ifan Charles said: “I am immensely proud of PC Rourke, whose actions on 24 May 2025 exemplify the very best of policing. Without hesitation he entered the sea to rescue a woman in distress, saving her life. His courage, selflessness, and decisive action under extreme circumstances are truly commendable and bring great credit to the service.”

Dyfed-Powys Police Federation Branch Chair Delme Rees said: “PC Rourke absolutely deserves the recognition and admiration for his life-saving actions on the 24 May 2025, the waters in that area are extremely dangerous as it’s a tidal estuary as well as a busy shipping lane, you even have the refinery with oil tankers visible across the water, and the Pembroke to Rosslare ferry passes through it.

“PC Rourke was the right officer at the right time as he had the physical ability to carry out what was required, but it still took a bold and selfless decision to commit to entering the water that night.”