A POLICE officer who rescue a man trapped in deep water at a disused Hereford pumping station has been nominated for a police bravery award.

The man 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.

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

He said: “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 floorboards 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.

Despite the man being a potential risk to emergency service responders, PC Prewer had to take off his protective equipment so that he could fit inside the building then moved around with someone outside shining a torch for him.

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.

The incident happened on November 21, 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.