Top awards for the bold and brave

The actions of two neighbours who jumped into the River Trent to try to save a drowning man have been recognised by the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire, Julia Hodson.

Mr Terry Marsh and Mr Graeme Stephens received community awards at the Chief Constable’s commendations evening at the Nottinghamshire Police headquarters, Arnold, on Monday.

Mr Marsh (40) and Mr Stephens (63) of Coopers Yard, Newark, received the awards for their bravery in trying to save Mr Ross Bright (30) of Millgate, Newark, after he fell into the river near their home at around 12.30am on October 10 last year.

After attempts to try to get Mr Bright to hold a piece of rope and be pulled to the riverbank failed, the pair jumped in to try to save him.

They used a lifebelt to hold Mr Bright’s head above the water and swam against the current to get him to the riverbank.

Attempts were made to revive Mr Bright, who was taken to Newark Hospital and then King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton-in-Ashfield, where he died.

Mr Stephens said he was pleased to win the award but public recognition was not something he thought about when he tried to save Mr Bright.

“The last thing I thought about that night was going to award ceremonies,” he said.

“It has all come as a surprise to me, but I understand people want to express their feelings about it.

“It was not at the forefront of my mind when I jumped into the water.”

The neighbours have already received the Derry Award for Bravery, as part of the Newark Town Mayor’s Awards.

They are also set to receive national bravery awards —Royal Humane Society Testimonials on Vellum — in November.

These are awarded to people who put themselves in considerable danger to save or attempt to save someone else.

“I’m glad it is coming to an end because it was such a traumatic experience for a lot of people,” said Mr Stephens.

Pc Roger Barker, who lives just outside Newark, received a Chief Constable’s commendation for his part in the arrest of a rapist.

Pc Barker and one of his colleagues in the dog section, Pc Michael Allsop, both received awards.

The man was later given a life sentence after being convicted of all charges against him.

In March last year, Pc Barker and Pc Allsop went to a caravan park just after midnight when a woman had called police with concerns for the safety of her husband.

He had left his wife at the caravan the previous afternoon but had not returned.

Having spoken to the woman and carried out some checks, their concerns were heightened because the man had two previous convictions for rape.

The officers came to the conclusion that it was possible they would be able to intercept him in his vehicle coming back from Nottingham’s red light district and almost two hours later they saw his car coming up the A614.

They found a 19-year-old woman in the car with the man. Pc Barker took the man away from the car to enable his colleague speak to her.

She explained she was a prostitute who had taken the man as a client, but said he had sexually abused and raped her before indicating he was going to take her away and leave her to die.

The officers found a rope in the passenger well of the car and the man was arrested.

The beat manager for Ollerton and Boughton, Pc Colin Oakley, won the Christopher McDonald Community Officer of the Year award and the runner-up was the Farndon area beat manager, Pc Kev Walker.

Pc Walker has been the beat manager for the Farndon area, which covers ten villages, since January 1999.

He said he had been told his nomination had come from residents from the area he serves, which made it more special.

He said: “I was very surprised. It was totally out of the blue.

“It is not something I ever look towards or think about ever competing in.

“I work for my customers, which are the general public.”