PC rescued man trapped in disused pumping station

9 November 2021

A West Mercia police officer who risked his own safety to rescue a man trapped in deep water at a disused pumping station has been nominated for a Police Bravery Award.

The man, who had warning markers identifying him as a potential risk to emergency service responders, had been in the water for up to four hours and was suffering from hypothermia when he was pulled to safety by PC Craig Prewer.

The run-down building posed a series of hazards to PC Prewer’s own safety as he carried out the rescue.

He explained: “The male was inside an old pumping house, which was boarded up and had a small window that was broken which he had got in.

“The floor boards were all missing and there were just rafters where the floor had been, but below this was water which appeared extremely deep and cold.

“The male was naked when we discovered him. He had cut feet and numerous cut all over him. This was after he had fallen in the water, taken his clothes off and cut himself numerous times on nails protruding from the rafters. The inside of the building was pitch black and the male could not see a thing so moved around by touch.”

PC Prewer was able to cut off the boarding so that he could reach the man before he fell off the rafters into the deep water where he could have drowned.

The brave officer had to take off his PPE so that he could fit through the hole he had made and then moved around the side of the building with someone outside shining a torch for him.

He explained: “It was pitch black and I had to shuffle along a brick’s width around the edge of the building to get to the man and get him out and to the paramedics.”

After pulling the man to safety, PC Prewer, who has 23 years’ service with the Force, returned to ensure was no one else was trapped in the building.

He was put forward for the national bravery awards by West Mercia Police Federation.

Chair Sarah Cooper said: “Throughout this challenging incident, PC Prewer remained professional and focused throughout on the main priority of preserving life, despite the obvious risks to his own.

“He did not hesitate to take command of the incident through prompt actions, and a willingness to do what was right and ensure that the incident was successfully resolved in a timely manner that no doubt saved this man’s life.”

The incident happened on 21 November 2020 when PC Prewer was among officers who responded to a call that a man could be heard shouting for help near to the town’s sewage works.

PC Prewer will join nominees from forces across England and Wales at the Police Bravery Awards 2021 ceremony in London next month. The awards are organised by the Police Federation of England and Wales.