3:50pm Thursday 18th March 2010
A teenager who pulled a friend from a car submerged in the canal at Skipton and a police officer who talked a man out of jumping off Malham Cove are among Craven residents who have been given bravery awards and special commendations.
Joe Pointon was 18 when he pulled James Boyd from the passenger seat of a car which plunged into the canal at Niffany Corner last April, killing the driver, Charlotte Wade.
Joe, of Cross Hills, was following in his own car when he saw the accident. He dived into the near-freezing canal to try to rescue his friends.
Despite a frantic search, Joe could only locate James. He could not find Charlotte or her other passenger, 17-year-old Robin Gibbs, in the back seat. Robin survived the accident, but remains in hospital.
PC Mark Browne, PC Susan Marklew, PC Hannah McPeake, PC Nigel Bryan, PC Caroline Black, TC Paul Cockerill and Sergeant Mark Hill were commended for their part in the incident.
The awards ceremony was held at Rudding Park, Harrogate, when members of the public, police and support staff were given commendations by former Western Area Commander, Chief Superintendent Colin Taylor. Also recognised for bravery and quick-thinking were four Bentham teenagers who saved two men from drowning in a whirlpool at Ingleton Falls last July.
The 15-year-olds – Settle College students Andrew Procter and David Adam and Kalvin Liddle and Jake Hill, who both attend Queen Elizabeth High School, Kirkby Lonsdale – threw a rope attached to a barrel into the swirling water and pulled trainee outdoor education instructor Stuart Holmes and his friend Mark Easton to safety.
Both victims suffered hypothermia and were airlifted to the Lancaster Royal Infirmary for treatment. Stuart, from Bolton, said they would have drowned but for the four friends’ actions. “Although we were wearing buoyancy aids, the whirlpool was so strong that it kept sucking us under the water,” he said.
Chief Supt Taylor noted: “The boys’ quick thinking and bravery while others stood and watched prevented a potentially tragic outcome.”
PC Dave Burgess, of Settle Safer Neighbourhood Team, was presented with an area commander’s commendation after he saved a man threatening suicide at Malham Cove last August. His professionalism and negotiating skills ensured a successful conclusion.
Other award recipients included retiring police sergeant Steve Thornthwaite, who was given a certificate of appreciation.
Sgt Thornthwaite spent much of his working life serving Craven communities. He arrived here from Scarborough in 1982, joining Skipton traffic section a year later.
He remained in Skipton until 1991 when he earned a promotion to sergeant in Ripon. He moved to the force control room in 1996 before returning to Craven in 1998, where he has performed a variety of roles. He is currently a sergeant in Settle.
A Certificate of Appreciation went to Craven district Special Constable Brian Cook to mark his retirement after more than 18 years.
Chief Superintendent Taylor said: “Thanks to the actions of some of the individuals commended, there are people alive today who may otherwise not have been.
“While all the awards are meritorious, there are a few I would like to highlight. The four boys from Bentham who saved two men while others looked on, even filming the incident, speaks well of a generation who are often criticised. They are a credit to their generation as well as their community.”
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